Ever heard the saying, “teamwork makes the dream work”? Well here at Foxy, team culture is the most important part of the business! In this article I’m going to talk about why that is, and how we foster a strong team culture at Foxy.

For us, first and foremost it’s about who we have on board. We’re spending every day together, so making sure we have people who are positive, fun to be around and can smile through tough times is important. Obviously, this comes down to the recruitment process, and we’re always looking for people that have the right attitude. Our motto is ‘hire for will and train for skill’. This means we care more about team fit and attitude than we do about skills and experience (we believe we can teach the skills).

We strive to create a family-like atmosphere in the workplace. This not only makes work more enjoyable, but it also leads to lower staff turnover. We know that our team is invested in what we do, and we make a conscious effort to get to know our team’s families as well. This is a positive for us, because if someone has a rough day, we know that we (and they) have the support of their partners. By building a positive team culture, we’re not just creating a better work environment, we’re also cultivating a sense of loyalty and dedication that extends beyond the office. When the team is invested in our success, they’re likely to care about our clients more too. This leads to better outcomes for everyone, it’s a win-win situation!

We put a heavy emphasis on building team relationships, and there are a handful of ways we do this. Firstly, at an individual level, we thank our leadership team by taking each department leader out for dinner with their significant other. This helps us get to know them on a personal level and show our appreciation for the work they put in, while also having some fun!

The biggest positive impact we see from team bonding happens with our group activities. At least once a quarter we get the whole team together to have some fun. Team breakfasts, activities like escape rooms or high ropes courses, dinner and drinks, end of Financial Year and Christmas parties – these are all excuses to get everyone together to bond as a team. We get to know each other personally and enjoy time together away from work. Watch Jake talk about the benefits to building team culture in the clip next door (or below if you’re reading on your mobile).

Another aspect of building morale is rewarding the team for their hard work. As a small business owner it may feel like you’re pulled in every direction at once. But, making sure to give that high five or pass on the positive client feedback is a wonderful way to thank your team for the exceptional work! We’ve found that a small gesture goes a long way. 

We also have what we call our ‘mad dog’ appreciation system. Whenever someone in our team has done awesome work or gone the extra mile, any team member can highlight it by sending a message to the rest of the team and give a ‘mad dog’ to that person. Essentially, it’s an opportunity for anyone in the team to recognise and praise someone else’s effort in a public setting, and the whole team can be involved. 

This again builds team morale, and drives us to work hard for the business, for each other and for the mad dogs! If you want to learn more about how the team communicates, read this blog post about what we use to stay in touch and pass on the mad dogs.

Team culture creates a sense of unity among the team. When the team is on the same page, it’s much easier to work together and achieve common goals. Feeling like they’re part of a cohesive unit, the crew are more likely to be invested in the success of the business rather than simply their individual success. This is part of the reason any new team member at Foxy – no matter what position they’ve been hired for – goes out onsite for their first 2 weeks. This helps show for example, the admin assistant, or in my case the content writer, the amount of heavy lifting, logistical planning and elbow grease that goes into the business. And I have a massive appreciation for what our team does, and how hard they work every day!

Challenging the team and giving them the opportunity to set goals throughout the year is another way to build a strong team culture and reward hard work. We have a quarterly bonus incentive where our staff set a goal and if they hit their target they receive a financial bonus. These kinds of rewards go a long way in providing employees with a reason to go the extra mile.

On top of the individual reward system, the entire team has a goal to reach each year. This unifies the team to come together for a common goal and be rewarded for a massive effort. Last year, the goal was to complete a whopping 600 installs in 6 months. The reward for that was a 4-day holiday up in tourist hotspot Noosa Heads (with partners and kids included!). Watch the video beside (or below if you’re on a mobile) to see the aftermath of the last day in the 6 month challenge, and see part of the reward, which was a high-ropes course. Again, rewards like these help to build personal relationships between the team, and their families too. These rewards keep our team motivated each day and remind us why we work so hard during the year.

Another plus of having a strong team culture is that it creates open channels of communication. When the team is comfortable with one another and feel like they can speak openly and honestly, it’s easier to share ideas, feedback, and concerns. This open communication leads to more effective problem-solving, as well as a greater sense of collaboration and innovation!

A strong team culture can boost morale and create a more positive work environment. If you pull up to the warehouse on any given afternoon, you will hear banter, laughter and more often than not, find the team playing tricks on each other. While some businesses might discourage having a joke during work hours, we find that fun and frivolity leads to higher levels of productivity and job satisfaction. Which, ultimately benefits both the individual team members and Foxy. We still get the work done, but with a smile on our face, and that goes a long way! The video below is one of the many examples of fun moments that keep us laughing all the way through the day.

When you and your colleagues don’t dread going to work each day, it goes a long way. Try these ideas out with your team and see the results for yourself!

Want to get to know more of the team? Read the most recent Stylist Spotlight here. Thanks for reading! If you have any thoughts, comments or questions, please reach out to us on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.