Our MD Craig constantly tells me, happy employees will make for great work and even happier clients… look after your staff and everything else will fall in line. I guess this concept may seem obvious, however, implementing this and ensuring continuity, in a rapidly growing company, can be much easier said than done. We have to be ever evolving in our engagement methods, move with the times and cater to each individual (new or longstanding), through effective methods that are simple to implement.

My favourite element of Affari’s internal engagement techniques has to be our Inspire sessions. We all know what the word ‘inspire’ means, however it holds a much higher value to us here at Affari. Inspire, is our monthly chance to express ourselves on a more personal level, away from our desks, getting to know our peers and having exciting outings away from the office environment. Once a month, the awaited ‘Inspire Newsletter’ is released, featuring unique artwork created by one of our employees (chosen through our spin-the-wheel game). This will also depict the monthly A4 challenge; our Inspire board will soon be filled with the staff’s A4 pieces of paper centred around the topic of the month e.g. favourite brand vision.

The buzz for Inspire isn’t simply because we get to down tools early (this is a bonus though!), but because we value our time with each other. We appreciate each member of staff for their individuality and we’re able to find pleasure in even the worst games, simply due to the company we hold. Affari is a family; Inspire is the family day out.

“Inspire – Fill (Someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.”

I’m sure at some point, we have all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard”, at Affari we take this concept seriously. With our brand new ‘chill out’ area, providing a games table, games consoles, comfy sofas and the ‘agency stereotype’ bean bags for our office, we encourage staff to take personal enjoyment out of the day – not just from our work. Affari believes in investing in our employees, the same as they invest their time and energy to pull out all the stops to create some simply outstanding work. During the daily work routine, we consider it is essential to incorporate a balance of our work and play. This inevitably has knock on effects of increasing social levels, allowing staff to blow off steam, and give an opportunity for healthy down time away from desks.

I have come to realise that being a member of the HR team doesn’t simply mean recruiting, disciplining and administration. There is so much more to it! When most think of a chat with HR, it has negative connotations, but why? Here at Affari we are striving to change this perception. HR staff are there to help and support in both personal and professional life. If an individual is unhappy at home or in any area of their life, it will obviously have an impact on their work. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure all staff members here feel as though they can confidentially approach the HR team. It is my job to utilise every tool I have to aid them.

This is where our latest brainwave comes in – the Emoji Newsletter. Not only was this immensely satisfying to help create, but it also serves a great purpose! We are able to discover how each of our employees are feeling week by week, simply through the click of a relatable emoji. Whilst this is simple and fun, there is also a serious undertone. Staff can utilise the ‘Speak to HR’ button, which is a quick and subtle way employees can seek out an unbiased listening ear, for any issues they may hold.

All employees have the right to have their voice heard, no matter what position or length of service they hold. These are the people who know first hand what works and what doesn’t, harnessing this knowledge productively will not only produce bigger and better outcomes, but also motivate our staff to become a part of our company; rather than just work for our company. We ask our employees to have their input at every available opportunity. We want to hear who they think deserves ‘Employee of the Month’, and we want to know what movie they want to see on ‘Halloween Horror Movie Night’, etc. I strongly believe asking rather than telling, is the best way to engage.

We are all part of one big living organism that is Affari. For Affari to survive, each element needs to be thriving in it’s own individual way. Therefore, we engage in soft management skills as much as we can, incorporating active listening, motivating and empowering each other. Yes, like every company we have our up’s and downs, but we embrace our downs with open arms which gives us all an opportunity to learn our weaknesses and build on them, together.