Let’s get one thing straight: Play isn’t just kid stuff. There’s a science to how we play, and it affects our lives in important ways—from how we work to what we find fulfilling. In fact, some social scientists suggest play might be the most important work we do.
Topics: Office Culture, Play, Play at Work, Reflections, Fun at Work, Connection, Culture, Company Culture, Skills, Fun, Play Personalities, Stuart Brown
Don’t run from it. Don’t fight it. Don’t ignore it. Lean into it.
Topics: Office Culture, Play, Team, Play at Work, Work Life Balance, Fun at Work, Work Culture, Connection, Culture, Employee Experience, Community, Company, Company Culture, Sports, Tips, Games, March Madness, Basketball, NCAA Tournament
Welcome to Leaders In Play! We interview people who take having FUN at work very seriously. We know, it seems like a crazy concept, but incorporating Play At Work has been proven to improve employee engagement, creativity, recruitment, retention, and provide countless other benefits that help create healthy company culture. Read on to learn more about our featured leader and their definition of Play, both in and out of the workplace.
Topics: Office Culture, Event Planning, Play at Work, Work Culture, Connection, Culture, Employee Experience, Company, Company Culture, Leadership, Human Resources, company events, Employee Recognition, Games, Interview, Leaders In Play
Welcome to Leaders In Play! We interview people who take having FUN at work very seriously. We know, it seems like a crazy concept, but incorporating Play At Work has been proven to improve employee engagement, creativity, recruitment, retention, and provide countless other benefits that help create healthy company culture. Read on to learn more about our featured leader and their definition of Play, both in and out of the workplace.
Topics: Office Culture, Play, Play at Work, Gratitude, Culture, NYC, Company Culture, Core Values, Human Resources, Employee Recognition, Interview, Leaders In Play, Employee Appreciation, Employee Appreciation Day
Welcome to Leaders In Play! We interview people who take having FUN at work very seriously. We know, it seems like a crazy concept, but incorporating Play At Work has been proven to improve employee engagement, creativity, recruitment, retention, and provide countless other benefits that help create healthy company culture. So, without further ado, enjoy our first installment of this interview series!
Topics: Office Culture, Play, Play at Work, Fun at Work, Work Culture, Gratitude, Culture, Company, Company Culture, Leadership, Core Values, Goals, Women, Interview, Leaders In Play
As a kid, did you buy those pharmacy-branded Valentine’s Day Cards with cheesy sayings like “Just speeding by with Valentine 'Hi'”?
Topics: Office Culture, Team Building, Holiday, Gratitude, Connection, Culture, Employee Experience, Company, Company Culture, Core Values, Tips, Human Resources, Games, Valentine's Day, Love
It’s that time of the year when renowned artists and entertainment industry titans come together to recognize the best of the best—it’s award season. The Grammys came and went, and the Academy Awards are around the corner, but award ceremonies don’t have to be limited to Hollywood.
What if your office had its own fun way to recognize the stars who made significant contributions to the company’s success all year?
Topics: Office Culture, Employee Engagement, Work Culture, Gratitude, Culture, Company, Company Culture, Core Values, Human Resources, Empowerment, Employee Recognition, Awards
Right now, there’s a buzz of excitement around the entire company—every office, every city, every single person is pumped. And I’m not just saying that. It’s REAL. You can feel the energy in every meeting, message, and email.
Topics: Team Building, Company Retreats, Employee Experience, Company Culture, Goals
Do you ever feel like you can’t get your events strategy right? Ever feel like you don't have the answers on how to make an event inclusive and still deliver an experience that is fun AND helps your team connect?
Topics: Employee Engagement, Company Culture, diversity and inclusion, company events
I’m the CEO, so if I don’t live our company’s core values then who will? Since the Zog brand was founded in 2002, there have been multiple iterations of our core values. Over time they have become our vernacular, our vocabulary for giving feedback, as well as our guidelines for making decisions and guiding daily behavior. We have put considerable thought into the Zog core values, so it’s no coincidence that my company’s core values are not so different from my personal core values.
Company Definition: We facilitate other people’s fun and have fun making it happen.
Personal Definition: Life is too short to not have fun. If not now, when?
Company Definition: Through the spirit of camaraderie, we share ideas, efforts and resources to accomplish our goals.
Personal Definition: Sometimes you need to lead and sometimes you need to play your role on the team.
Company Definition: We care about the company, each other and the work we do. We care about our customers, their experience and the communities in which we play.
Personal Definition: We treat each other with respect.
Company Definition: We do what we say, meet our commitments and provide a consistent customer experience with relentless organization.
Personal Definition: We do what we say and keep our word especially when it’s hard.
Company Definition: We take ownership and do whatever it takes. We are go getters who identify and creatively solve problems.
Personal Definition: We take initiative to solve the problem.
Company Definition: We are committed to getting better every day in everything we do both as individuals and as a company.
Personal Definition: We keep doing our best and trying to get better each day.
These personal core values have not been formally imposed upon my family. (I’m not that awkward, though some may disagree.) They’re not written on a wall or explicitly incorporated into family dinners. Rather, I use them as guiding principles for how I want to live, how and when I feel the need to provide constructive feedback and how I want members of my family to treat one another.
2. Our language and actions
3. General parenting
If you have comments or questions, please leave them below.
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Join Us
If you believe that what we believe and want to join us, check out our career and part-time opportunities at https://www.zogsports.com/join-the-team.aspx
About the Author
Robert Herzog, Founder and CEO, ZogCulture and ZogSports
I believe life is better with real personal connections, caring communities and a sense of play. I founded ZogSports after my close call on 9/11. In 2012, we launched ZogCulture to help create playful experiences at work so that employees can connect, be part of a community, and infuse play into the DNA of their company’s culture. We are directly impacting over 150,000 people per year across the country and have donated over $3.4M to charity. In 2017, Zog made the Crain’s Best Places to Work list (again!) and earned the prestigious B Corporation “Best For the World — Community” award.
If you’re interested in this sort of stuff, I have an MBA in Entrepreneurial Management from Wharton and a BA in Economics (which I rarely use) from Brown. I live and play in NYC with my awesome wife of 15+ years and two super active, sporty boys.
Interested in playing in a ZogSports league? ZogSports is America’s most popular social sports community, with over 125,000 players forming millions of new friendships every year. Sign up here to play.
Interested in bringing play to your company? ZogCulture creates playful employee experiences that create connections and builds community at work. Learn more by visiting our site or email Danny@ZogSports.com to inquire about bringing Zog to your office.
Topics: Work Life Balance, Values, About, Company Culture, Leadership
Core values have received more attention in the past year than ever before. More companies are recognizing that improving their office culture is a strategy that leads to sustainable success and at the center of a company’s culture are the core values in which they truly believe.
Topics: Play, Values, About, Connection, Company Culture
August in the office is a funky time. People are in and out, the pace is a whole lot slower than normal, and meetings are often pushed off due to people’s unpredictable travel schedules. Don’t beat yourself up over this less productive time in the office.
Topics: Play, Summer, Company Culture, Goals, Tips
I was 22 years old. It was my first job post college. I already missed the camaraderie of college and playing intramural sports, but this was my first real job (and a tough one at that — at global consulting firm Mercer). I needed to focus 100% on work. Make a good impression. Show them how committed I was. Didn’t I?
Topics: Play, Team, Connection, Community, Company Culture
The most common question we get from new clients is “Do you have any tips to create teams for our upcoming company event?” Yes, yes we do.
Below are our team creation guidelines to use the next time you’re creating teams for your upcoming company event:
Despite what research says, there’s no magic number for optimal team size. A Fortune study listed 4.6 as the ideal group size, but we’re not sure what happened to the other .4 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The main point is this: create teams where everyone gets a chance to know everyone else’s name.
Depending on the dynamics of a group, this may be ten people, or it may be thirty people. Create a space where everyone has a voice and can be seen.
2. Mix it up
Company events are the perfect time for your employees to get to know people they may not normally have the chance to work. The graphic designer is no longer “just that guy who sits at that table” and the CEO may become a relatable team player. Deliberately placing employees on teams with people they may not know allows for new connections and expanded networks across the company.
3. Assign roles
Have you ever been asked to make a decision in a group, though there was no clear leader in the room? When in this situation, it often starts with silence until one person steps up and proposes a direction. The conversation takes many turns, though ultimately may lead to a final decision. In this instance, a leader naturally arises.
When you have less time for a company event, we suggest designating a leader for each team so that the leader can bring clarity, direction and organization to the team. Our challenge to you is assign the captain role to people who are seeking new leadership opportunities. It’s a chance for them to shine and test out their leadership skills.
You may also want to assign other roles such as a scribe or a co-captain, depending on the activity and dynamics of the group.
4. Create a team name and a social contract
This is when the fun kicks in. Once teams are announced, ask each team to come up with a team name based on what the team shares — either in experience, interests, or fun facts. This helps teammates to get to know each other and identify differences as well as commonalities. An example of this is all members of the team may have a summer vacation planned and may have a shared loved of cats. In this instance, the team may name themselves the “travelling cats”. Admittedly, not the strongest example, though try it out and let us know how what you come up with!
In addition to a team name, we encourage you to create a way of working together. Ask teams to commit to five principles they will commit to while being on a team. Examples of these can be, “We will be on time” or “We will high five each other after every activity.” Once all five commitments are written down, ask each team member to sign the contract to put the social contract in place. Note: the team contract can also be used outside of company events and for any team you put in place within your organization.
According to this article from Wharton, the most important part of creating a team is outlining who are we, what are we going to do and how are we going to do it? — the team name and team social contract is one way to live into this.
Are you ready to create teams that impact employees beyond just your day of event? Do you have other tips? Leave comments below!
The Zog Culture Business supports organizations by increasing morale and collaboration, and enhances the employee experience by creating connections and camaraderie. We offer Field Days and Company events, In-Office Programming, and Private Tournaments. Learn more by visiting our site or email Danny@ZogSports.com to inquire about bringing Zog to your office.
Topics: Play, Connection, Community, Company Culture, Tips
Summertime and the livin’ is easy, though just because the sun is blazing and the rooftop frosé is singing a Siren’s song, it doesn’t mean the work stops.
Topics: Play, Summer, Company Culture, Tips, Human Resources
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