Happy at Work

When your working environment gets a bit stale as most are wont to do, there is a simple enough way to clear the air, turn negativity on its ear and promote an extreme sense of well-being. Almost every work place has some sort of a staffroom where different configurations of staff commune at different times of the day. Some are found there during coffee breaks while other clusters appear during lunch hour, but no matter who is there during whichever shift, the demographic is the same; certain groups always stick together while others never seem to find their niche and just cannot get comfortable within either the "inner sanctum or the populist groupings. When you feel it is up to you to try to alter the oppressive cloud that hangs over your mildly disfunctional staff', there is a highly effective form of team building that you can use . Simply hire a "personal" chef and invite all stakeholders to a "choose your own omelette breakfast with all the trimmings". You have only to find the perfect like-minded colleague with whom you can partner up for both financial and moral cooperation, provide the numbers and suggested menu options taking into consideration any food allergies etc. and let the chef do the rest. If the food is great and the desserts are tantalizingly delicious, you will see a staffroom unlike any you have ever seen before. Small or large tables are teeming with people who though they work in the same building, have never really SEEN or spoken to each other other than the "normal" cursory greetings mumbled in passing. People actually appear to be enjoying the company of their tablemates and not simply tolerating them as they normally do while they wolf down their sandwiches and/or eat their microwave lunches. You and your partner can plainly see a more relaxed populace who are actually lingering at their tables in animated discussion as they ooh and aah over the food which appears to be the tie that binds, at least during this early morning test drive of a "sit down/buffet style" breakkfast. I think that the freshly prepared customized eggs are the impetus for our co-workers to remain in the staffroom and break bread together as opposed to the non-chef routine buffet which allows us to grab our food and beat a hasty retreat back to our personal fortresses. In order to make this work you will need not only a creative chef, but a creative administrator with that rare gift of heart. If you are lucky these pieces will be in place and you will be able bring at least a temporary end to to apathy at work. This is of course a rather costly endeavour but has been proven to be well worth the outlay for the positive energy and feelings of goodwill it promotes. You must however be prepared not to be able to reach all your colleagues as you throw out the safety in comfort food rope...There will unfortunately always be at least one or two staff members who are beyond saving. You must decide to let them go, allow them to wallow in their own particular unhappiness and you must in the end be grateful that they chose not to enter the happy space that the rest of you inhabited at least for that one shining moment. Long term effects are something to look forward to.