Prettty much everyone knows that times are changing and will continue to do so at a breakneck pace for the forseeable future. Here is a brief description of three of the most unusual things we've heard of lately.
1. The Walking Meeting – many organizations are taking cues from philosophers like Aristotle and Kirkegaard and holding meetings outdoors and on the move. Here's what feetfirst.org, a Washington non-profit promoting "walkable communities" says about the benefits of walking meetings.
- Physical activity that fits into the day
- Energized and more alert participants
- Different environments to inspire new ideas
- Time outdoors, in nature, and with fresh air and light
- Improved physical and mental well-being
- Walking and talking side by side cuts through hierarchical and status distinctions and sets people at ease
- Enhanced relationship building
- Creativity and new solutions
- If the group is larger, several conversations happen at the same time and people can move around easily to talk to others in the group
- Enhanced group identity and strengthened team spirit
- Meetings that no longer feel like a waste of time
- Process as helpful as product
- Utilitarian purposes can be added, such as fitting in errands
2. The Standing Desk – According to wikipedia, a standing desk is a desk conceived for writing, reading, or working, while standing up or while sitting on a high stool. The terms "stand-up desk" or "stand up desk" are also used. During the 18th and 19th centuries, standing desks were popular in the homes and offices of the rich. Standing desks have regained some popularity due to purported health benefits, however, these benefits have not yet been clearly established.
Notable users of standing desks include British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, songwriter Oscar Hammerstein II, author Ernest Hemingway, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and U.S. founding father Benjamin Franklin.
3. FUN! Google hot business trends and chances are you're going to find mention of this word. FUN! Concerned with issues like employee retention and productivity, companies are spending time and money to figure out how to have their employees love their jobs and have fun while working hard. Here are a few thoughts from Forbes contributor Meghan Biro…
1) Personalize Employee Engagement. Nothing makes work more fun than real engagement. It creates a bond between the enterprise and it’s people. When people are engaged, they dig deeper and suddenly work becomes a lot more fun. But what engages one person can leave another cold. So leaders must use technology to create personalized profiles of each employee.
2) Use The HR Technology Tools. HR Technology, used correctly, are manna from heaven for HR pros and Leaders. They allow us to build a community that not only enables great performance, but makes it much more social and fun. Again, it’s all about personalization, drawing out the best in people, getting their creative juices flowing, their hearts racing. Games are turning out to be amazing tools for adding fun to a culture if utilized with a strategy for adoption.
3) Exercise Your Inner Comedian. One of the great unsung leadership tools is a sense of humor. Watch the way good (there are a few left) politicians, comedians and actors use humor to build a bond with their audiences. A good joke, a sense of fun, a surprise, a prank – they instantly lighten the mood, lift morale, and unite people. Find ways to bring humor to your workplace culture. Strong communication and a genuine employer brand is a good place to start.
4) Be Holistic. Employee performance soars when people are happy and healthy. This means fitness that is linked to rewards, good food, basic human understanding and recognition for good work. If someone is going through a rough patch in their personal life, offer to help but know when to give them a little space. Conversely, celebrate success and milestones that happen outside the workplace. Everyone will have a lot more fun if they feel they can be themselves at work.
5) Solicit (Off The Wall) Ideas. Everyone’s idea of fun is slightly different. So turn over the workplace asylum to the inmates by establishing a mechanism where people can express their idiosyncrasies at work.How about 5 Minutes of Crazy? A weekly funercise where a volunteer (again, no forcing) leads everyone in … anything they want. Think of it as “Show and Tell” for adults.
So there you have it – three hot ideas in business today – if any of you have tried any of these ideas, please share them with us in the comments section. HAVE FUN!