If you imagine the most successful companies growing their wealth, the word ‘play’ may feel out of place. Yet, it’s a fundamental element in creating a productive and positive workplace culture. In this discussion Jeffrey Feldberg, host of The Deep Wealth Podcast talks with Kristi Herold, CEO of JAM on the exceptional world of integrating play into workplaces.
The Power of Play: A Deep Dive with Kristi Herold
Kristi Herold is the CEO of JAM, a unique global business that spruces up office environments with plays. JAM specializes in producing corporate team-building events and operating recreational sports leagues, connecting people through play since 1996. With over 3,500 events produced in 30 countries, Kristi is undoubtedly a successful entrepreneur. Still, to truly understand this enterprising woman, we should know her roots.
Growing up in an entrepreneurial family was integral in shaping her future. Kristi’s family values molded her into a human-being who profoundly values her time while striving to make a difference. This instilled in her the importance of creating a business that allowed her to enjoy life while being successful.
Work, Play, Repeat: Building a Successful Business through Play
The Toronto Sport and Social Club, rebranded to JAM during the pandemic, initially started with an assembly of 52 teams. 27 years later, it has expanded to 11,000 teams and around 150,000 people playing annually. Inspired by adult recreational sport leagues in American cities, Kristi initiated this venture to make Toronto’s life less lonely and more enjoyable.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic posed a significant challenge, forcing JAM to shut down for 18 months. Despite this setback, Kristi leveraged the crisis as an opportunity to diversify their offerings. This period saw the commencement of corporate team-building events and the birth of her best-selling book – It Pays to Play.
Fun at Workplace: A Beneficial Investment for Productivity and Retention
A playful culture at work fosters friendships, leading to better collaboration, creativity, and engagement. It increases employee retention, resulting in substantial cost savings associated with employee turnover. A workplace that employees deem as fun encourages employee referrals, leading to increased recruitment of quality talent. Furthermore, playing at work results in happier and more engaged employees, which, in turn, leads to more satisfied customers.
Keys to Building a Playful Work Culture
JAM provides innovative solutions to integrate play into everyday business operations. It includes incorporating playfulness into company communications, celebrating loyalty creatively, initiating icebreaker activities at the beginning of meetings, and celebrating success.
Optional recreational activities like company sports teams, book clubs, or choirs help build strong connections, breaking down hierarchy barriers and fostering a friendly environment. It’s not about enforcing fun but opening up opportunities for employees to engage with one another in a relaxed setting.
However, to quote Jeffrey Feldberg, Founder of the Deep Wealth Experience, promoting play in the workplace isn’t only about fun; it contributes significantly to the company’s “X Factor.” It differentiates an organization from its competitors in a way that can’t be copied.
A Final Tip: Trust in Play
In the face of adversity, Kristi highlights the importance of trust. Trust that obstacles lead to opportunities delivers great lessons and allow for innovative business ideas to bloom. Play injects a sense of joy into work, fosters strong connections, and encourages an open environment conducive to creative thinking. Ultimately, success lies in trusting the process and trusting in play.
Taking the First Step Towards a Playful Work Culture
If you are curious about implementing play in your workplace, JAM is a good place to start. Providing a range of services from corporate events to cultural consulting, their play experts make the process easy and engaging.
An undeniable truth remains – play pays. It’s the secret ingredient to successful business growth, a stronger work culture, better retention, increased creativity, and happier customers. And in light of the high-stress world we inhabit, playing at work isn’t frivolous– it’s a necessity. So, why wait? Leverage the power of play today and witness the transformative effect on your bottom line tomorrow.
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Do you want to secure your financial freedom? Take your business to new heights with the 90-day Deep Wealth Mastery program. Master proven tactics to optimize profits, enterprise value while, and your post-exit life. Click here to start your journey_**_
Today, Feldberg's passion is helping you extract your deep wealth. The 90-day Deep Wealth Mastery program helps create a solid foundation for three areas: increasing profits to enterprise value and optimizing post-exit life. Deep Wealth Mastery offers strategies and insights drawn from Feldberg's rich experience. The strategies from the trenches get results. Jeffrey's vision is to increase the social fabric of society one entrepreneur at a time.
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