Is everyone feeling the burnout from numbers lately? It\u2019s a data driven world and there are numbers everywhere.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 We\u2019ve all been overloaded with pandemic-related numbers of all kinds on a daily and even hourly basis over the last two years.\u00a0 We\u2019ve moved around, thought about, entered\/exited the world based on numbers, by our own choice or because we were told to. \u00a0Today we\u2019re watching numbers go up on homes, rent, gas prices and grocery store receipts.<\/p>\n
And let\u2019s face it, employees everywhere are bombarded with numbers \u2013 there are a million incentives with twice as many number\/data driven stipulations to earn \u201cup to\u201d whatever dollar figure is listed.\u00a0 There are wages of all levels, fewer workdays, longer hours, more vacation days and a number of recognized holidays.\u00a0 There are numbers measuring quantity and quickness that prove an employee\u2019s value.\u00a0 There are lead time numbers, retention numbers, performance numbers, customer satisfaction numbers; numbers, numbers, numbers. \u00a0And then just add the sheer number of job opportunities out there today and the numbers can be overwhelming.<\/p>\n
For some, a party of one is exactly what they need.\u00a0 But for others, a team of many is rewarding.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Custodial teams are often designed with multiple shifts.\u00a0 There are teams of people focused on designated tasks or within designated zones.\u00a0 There are representatives talking with and assisting customers.\u00a0 There are groups that share resources and respect each other to work together and achieve success.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n
In 2020 the world made an effort to get more connected, remotely, because of isolation.\u00a0 In today\u2019s world, everyone has access to technology and data; and business operations can move faster than ever.\u00a0 But, what we gain with those opportunities can sometimes create a loss in engaging as teams.<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0 Your performance is tracked by quickness (how much time you take) and quantity (how much product you move).\u00a0 You lose out on the benefits where human beings operate as a community.\u00a0 As social beings, we can soak up benefits from team environments, customer service, engaging with peers, and working together to reach a goal.\u00a0 Working in an industry like custodial services, teamwork is the foundation of success.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n