What is a social committee and what does it add to the company?
As most of our employees are aware, we have a social committee here at BookerZzz. But what exactly do they do? Of course, the social committee organises the borrels and the parties! That’s all, right? Wrong!
Whilst these are the events that are most connected to the words “social committee”, there is a much bigger purpose behind what the social committee does. The social committee is aware that having an inspiring working environment is an essential ingredient in the recipe of working with happiness and energy.
For most people, “work” and “fun” are two words that seriously contradict one another. Yet despite them appearing to be opposites, it is important for them to be aligned and work harmoniously. This is something that the social committee has acknowledged and so it has become the driving force behind wanting to create an atmospheric company culture and an environment where everyone can feel inspired, welcome, comfortable and so on.
Authors Dave Hemseth and Leslie Yerkes of ‘301 Ways to Have Fun at Work’ state that, “organisations that integrate fun into work have lower levels of absenteeism, greater job satisfaction, increased productivity and less downtime.”
How can company culture be achieved?
As may be expected, culture isn’t something that you establish and then stop working on, instead it is something that takes time and continuity to upkeep. It is the goal of BookerZzz social committee to maintain an enjoyable company culture. This is done by hosting events and activities that align and express our core values. Yes, that’s right, drinking beer is an unofficial core value of BookerZzz 😉.
A fun and social workplace environment is what 88% of millennials, the largest generation in the workforce, want to be in. Thus, the social committee provides meaning and purpose by putting time, energy and resources into events and activities that are sure to create this whilst simultaneously increasing employee engagement.
Creating a company culture is necessary before engagement starts, which is why there is the ritual of weekly drinks. Our “VriMiBo’s”, otherwise known as Friday drinks and/or ‘borrels’, are the main chance for everyone to get to know each other on a more personal level, as well as connect the different departments.
Having a social committee helps create a strong company culture and atmosphere leading to positive word of mouth. By creating a welcoming environment, which is what the social committee aims to do, can really resonate with employees. This appears to be validated in this article, where experiencing a positive company culture was more attractive to one employee than his dream job. Although this is a rare example, it does go without saying that happier employees will talk positively about a company even after leaving it.
Due to the size of our company, it is plausible that employees don’t know who is working in the other departments, or at least don’t form any relationship with them. By having a social committee, the objective is for everyone to enjoy moments where they can increase social connections on a personal level, which can positively overflow into their day-to-day work.
With many employees working 40-hour weeks, it isn’t uncommon to spend more of your week in the office than in the comforts of your own home. Due to this, it is important to create an environment where you feel comfortable working, so that you can value and enjoy your time at work.
Over the years, the dynamic of job satisfaction has changed from being primarily about what an employee’s relationship is like with their direct supervisor and instead turned to what their relationships are like with their colleagues. This particularly applies here at BookerZzz as, to keep the business running smoothly, we have a lot of cross-departmental collaboration. As well, with our company having a flat organisational structure, the social committee is an encouraging voice in getting all employees to participate in non-work-related activities, from the CEO to the interns. Encouraging this helps to strengthen the company culture.
“What do you think of the social committee?” ~ opinions from some of our employees
Kathi, Content Specialist Intern: I have never worked in a company with a social committee and it really was a positive experience when I came here. Also, integrating into this company was easier in a way because the social committee exists (borrel, table football, games in the park, etc.). It helped me get to know people from other departments, and you have a better and more informal introduction to the company I also think that social committee (or better the activities you organize) is responsible for a good working climate as you spend more time with your colleagues outside of work and you get to know them on another level. Also, this helps with approaching your colleagues during work. If I applied for a full-time job and I would have to decide between multiple, a company with a social committee is a big criterium.
Lindsey, UX Designer: I think that having a social committee is important as they are representatives of the employees, especially because it is run by employees you can tell that they really listen to what the employees want. You can feel the good vibe that has been created and it’s nice for the office to not be completely “work work work”.
Wanja, Account Manager DACH: I have never worked for a company with a social committee before, it´s my first job abroad and in Germany it´s not common to have such a committee. The benefits of a social committee are the well organised events (borrel, table soccer tournament, laser game, Christmas party, …) and updates with what is going on within the company on a regular basis. This means that there is better interaction between the different departments (at my previous work in Germany we had no team events at all). I would miss having a social committee.
Marijke, Content Specialist: In my opinion having a social committee is a unique aspect of the company. In my old office the office manager took care of the party’s and other social happenings. I think it has many benefits, as there are great social events where you can connect with all colleagues. As well, by bringing colleagues from different departments together, input is provided from different teams. I would definitely miss having a social committee!