30¢ Per Day To Boost Employee Morale? Read On!

Listen, most small to mid-size (1 to 500 employee) businesses out there aren’t going to get bailed out by the U.S. taxpayer. We just don’t have the time to beg congress, we have no favors due to call in and we don’t have lobbyists.

Small to mid-size businesses have to survive by cutting back on everything from employees to envelopes to, heaven forbid, morale-boosting company parties and entertainment.

So what results from these cutbacks (in addition to envelopes that may kill you a la George Costanza’s fiance, Susan) is fewer employees doing almost the same amount of work as a full workforce was doing. And because their holiday parties or company picnics may have been cancelled last year, your remaining employees could be working with less than positive attitudes, especially with raises few and far between.

The work gets done, but the quality could suffer. And it could suffer just enough so that you won’t notice, but your customer will. Which could result in long-term illness to the business you put your time, sweat, money and intellectual capital into.

So, what do you do? Raises for everyone, even the most deserving, are becoming almost impossible to give. Bonuses? Only for the bailout grabbing fat cats. Well, here’s a way to elevate your employee’s attitudes for the wee investment of 30¢ per day:

Okay, say you have 100 employees whose morale may need a little boost. And most of them have spouses or significant others or at the very least, someone whom they’re not ashamed to be seen in public with. That’s 200 people or so. Why not have a company party? Hang on, don’t blow a gasket! Hear me out.

I just checked with the folks at the Curtis Ballroom, a division of Comedy Works in Denver to get some pricing on your 200 person party including venue, mid-price buffet (there are more and less expensive options), cash bar and, of course, company friendly comedy entertainment.

Here’s what you’ll invest to help keep your associates happier, more loyal and more productive: $5000 for the banquet room and mid-priced buffet. $1400 for the first alcoholic drink per person. (After that, they’re on their own.) And let’s say another $1000 for stand-up or improv comedy. My comedy hypnosis show is a bit more money (as are some other higher echelon comics) but certainly not out of reach for most small to mid-size businesses.

Also, because you’re an insightful business owner/manager, you cough up another $500 for a DJ because you know that your people like to dance after a delicious meal and a few laughs.

Total: $7900. $79 per employee. Divide that by 260 work days per year and employee morale costs the small to mid-size business about 30¢ per work day per employee. Not a bad investment when you factor in the non-factorable better attitude/higher quality output equation.

So, why am I posting this at a time when most company parties have come and gone or had been cancelled? Because now’s the time to ante up for this year’s happening.

Need help in planning your next gala? (After all, it’s not something you do every day.) Contact Zing for a copy of their helpful booklet, No Crappy Parties. It’ll help your planning committee plan a more successful party. And it will arrive in a plain, cheap but hopefully non-poisonous envelope.