Summer has started and that means benefit/charity golf around here. Recently, when I received a notice about a golf tournament I set it aside, at first. Upon further reflection, I decided I should take a few coworkers and participate. I first set it aside because in the almost 20 years I have been here at PlastiCert we have never been so busy. Existing customers, new customers, transitioning in customers, everyone is increasing their level of business with us. We are bringing almost a dozen and a half molds online right now, finishing, sampling, making initial qualification runs. We set a record for revenues last month and will likely shatter that this month. On top of that the supply chain is as stretched as it ever has been with price increases and delays.
So why are we going golfing?
My people deserve it. The upfront work that got us here pushed them hard. They worked hard and multitasked multiple customer issues, programs, supplier, and coworker issues.
If we are so busy, why now?
Why not now? If you wait until things settle down, you might wait a very long time. Success breeds success, who know when it may settle down, and why wait to reward hard work. The time for some levity is now. With some preparation, an afternoon away will not impact the progress, and in fact, a little rejuvenation may make the process smoother.
Is everyone going golfing?
No, that would not be effective and would be a disservice to our customers. We will look for other ways to facilitate their opportunity to both depressurize and celebrate successes. Post COVID we will reinstate our summer grilling out for lunch events that we missed so much last summer!
Besides, in all these years we have never denied a vacation request. Work is work, but life is so much more than just work and we need to reinforce that when we can. We won two national When Work Works awards for having a flexible and effective workplace. Where people recognize that work is a piece of the puzzle, and we can strive to optimize that piece just like the other parts of our lives. Just like issues occur at work, issues occur at home, and as an employer it is important to accommodate both if you want a workforce that works with you as you try to provide a means for everyone to better themselves.