The folks at Jackson Thornton work hard; to keep one of the capital city’s oldest businesses and one of the state’s largest accounting firms humming along, they have to. But, according to Ashley Taylor, Principal and Director of Campus Recruiting, and Amanda Wisdom, Recruiting Coordinator, good morale is important too.
“Making sure our folks feel appreciated is a huge part of why we strive to have fun at work,” said Taylor. \”Having an enjoyable work environment is equally key for recruitment. Candidates need to see that Jackson Thornton is a fun place to work.” Read on for added insights about avoiding burnout.
1. Listen to your people.
Recognize when a project/engagement/deadline is stressful, and know when it’s time to lighten things up with some fun and when a celebration is in order.
2. Say thank you!
It doesn’t always have to be a physical or monetary reward. Simply recognizing when someone goes above and beyond goes a long way. Brag on your people and encourage those in leadership to say those simple words —“thank you.”
3. Recognize.
That everyone’s busiest and most stressful times are not the same, and empower managers to do things for their team members outside of big events and deadlines.
4. Encourage your people to take time off.
So they don’t get burned out. We love that our people have fun at the office, but we encourage them to take time off for fun and family as well. To be sure they do, we provide extra time off through “flex hours” during the summer.
5. Plan ways to reward your team throughout the year.
In the accounting world, we have several big deadlines during the year. We have celebrations after deadlines and provide “stress-busters” that include everything from DQ Blizzards to chair massages.
6. Take breaks.
If you notice yourself losing focus during the day, take a quick walk to the edge of the parking lot and back, find a meditation video on YouTube or make a quick phone call to a friend to reset your mind and allow you to focus again.
7. Design a \”workday shutdown\”.
That tells your mind it’s time to relax. Examples: Turn off your podcast and turn on some upbeat music, fire up a diffuser with a different scent, drink a sparkling water or write down your goals for the next day and leave the list on your desk.
8. Build camaraderie from day one.
Even our interns go through leadership development and team building exercises during orientation.
9. Use community service.
To build relationships with colleagues while giving back to the communities you serve.
10. Model having fun at work.
Let your folks see those in leadership enjoying special events and treats and being “real.\”
A couple of ways to make it happen:
Jackson Thornton puts a premium on fun, hosting an Annual Shrimp Boil and big “after tax day” party. The firm even has an official Fun Committee tasked with planning events like lake days, Six Flags trips and more.
