Are You a Number or a Team?
Is everyone feeling the burnout from numbers lately? It’s a data driven world and there are numbers everywhere. From dollars & cents to 2-day shipping to annual fees to reward points, everywhere you turn there is a number identifying something that someone wants you to think is important. We’ve all been overloaded with pandemic-related numbers of all kinds on a daily and even hourly basis over the last two years. We’ve moved around, thought about, entered/exited the world based on numbers, by our own choice or because we were told to. Today we’re watching numbers go up on homes, rent, gas prices and grocery store receipts.
And let’s face it, employees everywhere are bombarded with numbers – there are a million incentives with twice as many number/data driven stipulations to earn “up to” whatever dollar figure is listed. There are wages of all levels, fewer workdays, longer hours, more vacation days and a number of recognized holidays. There are numbers measuring quantity and quickness that prove an employee’s value. There are lead time numbers, retention numbers, performance numbers, customer satisfaction numbers; numbers, numbers, numbers. And then just add the sheer number of job opportunities out there today and the numbers can be overwhelming.
For some, a party of one is exactly what they need. But for others, a team of many is rewarding. When you experience the power of teamwork, the connections with each other, and the impacts you have on one another, it can be the difference between a regular workday and a memorable workday. Custodial teams are often designed with multiple shifts. There are teams of people focused on designated tasks or within designated zones. There are representatives talking with and assisting customers. There are groups that share resources and respect each other to work together and achieve success. You get to see the progress of your own efforts, combined with the efforts of many, every day and almost every minute of your workday. You still see numbers, but they are less invasive because you see more smiles, you see things shine, you see team efforts in cleanliness, and you see a community.
In 2020 the world made an effort to get more connected, remotely, because of isolation. In today’s world, everyone has access to technology and data; and business operations can move faster than ever. But, what we gain with those opportunities can sometimes create a loss in engaging as teams.
Work in a warehouse or for delivery company might be appealing for any number of number-driven reasons, but your employee goal is to work alone and focus on numbers. Your performance is tracked by quickness (how much time you take) and quantity (how much product you move). You lose out on the benefits where human beings operate as a community. As social beings, we can soak up benefits from team environments, customer service, engaging with peers, and working together to reach a goal. Working in an industry like custodial services, teamwork is the foundation of success. We can have every vacuum, scrubber, doodlebug and cleaning agent we need but still lack a team culture which ultimately drives that operation into lower productivity and higher turnover. But an operation with a true team, can function creatively and collectively with fewer resources, if they need to, just by making commitments to each other and having earned trust amongst each other.
So, in a world full of warehouses and deliveries, ask yourself if you want to be a number, or if you want to be part of a team (maybe a custodial team) and watch the numbers follow.
CLICK HERE to explore DFS team opportunities at locations across the country, from New York to California, and at headquarters available now. You can be a member of the DFS organization, and together we can be a team of many.