Contents:
Classical corporate training focuses on developing employee competencies that directly impact the company's key business metrics. Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of training becomes more transparent: for example, if sales managers are trained in new methods, this leads to an increase in the speed and volume of sales. Thus, corporate training not only develops employee skills but also contributes to the organization's profitability and competitiveness. Effective training allows companies to adapt to market changes and achieve their strategic goals.
Modern companies are increasingly organizing internal corporate events that are not directly related to their core business or employee functions. For example, webinars on art, literature, psychology, and other topics are becoming popular. Although it is difficult to measure the profitability of such initiatives, they contribute to the successful development of the organization and increased employee engagement. Such events enrich corporate culture, promote knowledge sharing, and broaden the team's horizons, which ultimately has a positive impact on the overall atmosphere and productivity.
Together with HR experts, we explore the role informal events play in business development. Let's consider how to begin implementing such practices and what methods to use to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures taken.
Emotional Support
Employers often ignore the psychological aspects of the work process. However, research confirms that depressed employees demonstrate low productivity. Burnout has become one of the key problems facing office workers in 2021. Understanding the importance of the psycho-emotional state of employees can contribute to increased efficiency and improve the overall climate within the team. Investing in the psychological well-being of employees is not only an ethical but also a strategic step for increasing productivity and reducing stress in the workplace.
A company employs people, and despite the importance of metrics and business indicators, human factors play a significant role. Unfortunately, discussing these aspects is not always the norm. Typically, problems are only brought to attention when they reach a critical level. This opinion is expressed by Maria Beloglazova, Head of Department at Skyeng Corporate University. Given the importance of human resources, it is necessary to actively implement practices that promote openness and discussion of internal issues, which in turn will help avoid serious consequences for the business.
The company must create an environment where every employee can receive emotional support at any time. Preventing problems is often more effective than resolving them as they arise. Skyeng regularly hosts webinars with psychotherapists to discuss emotions and self-care. The company also operates internal support lines with "buddies," whose primary task is to provide emotional support to employees. This contributes to the development of a healthy corporate culture and improves overall well-being within the team.
One-off educational events can effectively boost morale and support employees. During the self-isolation caused by the pandemic, many faced difficulties associated with isolation and uncertainty: remote work, lack of communication, and fear of the future exerted significant psychological pressure. In response to these challenges, Otkritie Bank organized a meeting with test cosmonaut Sergei Ryazansky, who shared his experience of living in complete isolation in space and methods for coping with stress. The lecture generated great interest among employees: many watched the broadcast with their families, exchanged links, and discussed what they had heard for a long time. Such events not only enrich knowledge but also help strengthen corporate culture and build team unity.
Team Building
Communication in the workplace is often formal: employees interact with each other primarily to discuss work-related matters. The transition to remote work has exacerbated this situation, and informal communication has become even less frequent. However, maintaining human relationships is crucial for team building, as in such an environment, work tasks are accomplished more efficiently and quickly. Elena Mazhugina, HR Director at 12 STOREEZ, emphasizes that informal events are one of the best ways to strengthen team spirit. It's important to create opportunities for communication outside of work to foster trust and rapport among employees.
Our story began with an event celebrating the company's anniversary. Since 12 STOREEZ was founded in Yekaterinburg and our employees work in various cities, team building became a priority. We focused on activities that promoted connections and interactions between colleagues, rather than focusing on business topics. This helped create a friendly atmosphere and strengthen bonds within the team.
Our team is currently actively developing. We understand that well-established communication between employees plays a key role in successful work. It's important for everyone to know who to turn to with various issues. An effective way to achieve this goal is through events unrelated to business. We strive to make every meeting meaningful, offering something interesting and unique. Such initiatives help strengthen team spirit and increase overall productivity.
It's a good idea to consider organizing formats in which employees give lectures or master classes on topics related to their hobbies. For example, they could share knowledge about the Marvel universe or teach culinary skills. Such events foster team spirit and allow colleagues to learn more about each other than they would in a purely professional setting. It's also helpful to organize interest groups, such as reading clubs or travel clubs, which further contribute to creating a friendly atmosphere and developing corporate culture.
Supporting Corporate Culture and Brand
Corporate culture is a set of values and principles that define a company. These values should be manifested not only in work processes but also in the daily activities of employees. Conducting training and educational events helps ensure that company values are not just on paper, but become part of real behavior and interactions within the team. An effective corporate culture fosters a positive atmosphere and increases employee engagement, which in turn impacts overall productivity and business success.
We actively support environmental projects and sustainable consumption ideas. As part of our corporate culture, we regularly inform employees about the importance of waste sorting, ways to combat pollution both globally and in Russia, and other pressing environmental issues. These initiatives not only foster responsible behavior within the company but also strengthen the L'Oréal brand's image in society.
Elena Mazhugina emphasizes that developing a corporate culture is impossible without effective networking within the organization. This is achieved through events on non-work topics. The more developed internal communications are, the more successful the corporate culture is. Informal events are not the only factor in cultural development, but they significantly contribute to the removal of barriers that hinder this process. Creating a comfortable atmosphere and strengthening connections between employees has a positive impact on the overall climate within a company, which, in turn, influences productivity and employee engagement.
Developing Creative Thinking
To encourage employees to generate original ideas and approaches to work tasks, many companies organize seminars and webinars with invited creative individuals, as well as events dedicated to art and science. Research shows that the best ideas come to us not during work, but during breaks and when switching attention to other activities. Such events promote the development of creative thinking, increase employees' awareness and erudition, which in turn has a positive impact on their professional performance and the overall atmosphere within the team.
We believe that developing a sense of beauty in our employees contributes to the improvement of the quality of our products. To this end, we intend to organize a series of events, including roundtables with designers and experts in fashion and art, as well as joint visits to exhibitions and performances. These activities will primarily target product development teams, as they help develop visual perception and the ability to create aesthetics through detail. Elena Mazhugina emphasizes the importance of such initiatives for enhancing creativity and innovation in our work.
A variety of innovative formats for corporate training exist that go beyond traditional methods. One example is Otkritie Bank's Corporate University, which actively collaborates with an art gallery. As part of this partnership, a rotating exhibition of sculptures and paintings has been organized in the bank's office, which not only enriches the cultural environment but also fosters the development of creative thinking among employees. This approach to training helps create a unique atmosphere conducive to productivity and increased creativity in the work process.
Forming the Habit of Acquiring New Knowledge
If employees aren't interested in professional development courses, start with events focused on topics they're genuinely interested in. This will help foster a culture of continuous learning and a habit of acquiring new knowledge in your company. Ksenia Mikheeva emphasizes that this is precisely the main goal of informal activities. Creating an engaging and motivating learning environment not only promotes the development of individual skills but also enhances the overall professionalism of the team.
Our goal isn't simply to train someone. We strive to spark interest in learning and the independent pursuit of new knowledge. To achieve this, we choose topics unrelated to business. Over a year ago, we introduced a flex webinar format where we discuss innovative concepts such as Design Thinking and Trend Watching. Participation in these webinars is voluntary for employees.
We regularly conduct employee engagement surveys to identify current issues and requests. This allows us to discuss important topics with the team. The surveys use metrics that we use to organize webinars and other events. For example, we noticed that employees previously frequently mentioned "toxicity" in the work environment, but in subsequent surveys, the focus shifted to "emotional burnout." These changes help us adapt our approaches to employee management and improve employee satisfaction.