Over many years and with many trials and tribulations in both business and in my personal life, I have been convinced that in this world there are 2 types of people; those that build and those that destroy. Those that build embody the positive spirits of creativity, love and creating value. While, those that destroy embody the weaknesses of hatred, ego and laziness. The differences are that one group produces, is generous and thinks in terms of “we”. While the other group clings, criticizes and destroys in order to feed the basest of human qualities and advance the “self” at the cost of producers.

Unfortunately all sorts of prices are paid by those that produce, in business, in personal and in health. But in my opinion the worst price that could ever be paid would be to allow for those that destroy to change a producer into a destroyer. I recently received a simple email that speaks to this and I thought I’d share. Produce anyway.

“People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.
If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies; Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.”

I was asked by Forbes this week to offer up some experience around some actions companies can take during tough economic times like these to maintain or even increase employee happiness and wellbeing. We all know that without a happy and thriving team, there’s no growth, especially in a recession.

At DotNext we strive to employ a two pronged approach to increasing team happiness and wellbeing during recession times like these.

First Method :

First, we immediately roll out substantial, structured and predictable performance based compensation in the form of bonuses and spiffs. Nearly anyone, including managers and directors, can earn additional compensation if they are able to perform above general standards on a challenge by challenge basis. As a result, regardless of economic slow downs, team members are still able to maintain control over their financial destiny.

Second Method:

Second, we aggressively enhance the quality, frequency and quantity of spirited culture activities that play directly into happiness and wellbeing. For example, our team holds competitive monthly ping pong tournaments, gathers weekly at pubs and cafes, has weekly trivia contests and just recently joined a corporate softball league. Simply put, there is a direct correlation between increased positive cultural events and team happiness and production.

Each of these efforts enhances our level of happiness, strengthens our bonds and positions us for great production and growth even in recession times.