Carolyn is a VP of Quality & Resource Management at corporate headquarters in TN—and she’s brilliant! She recently shared with me one of her tactics to help her staff de-stress. On Fridays, before the end of the workday, the office holds a POETS Club meeting. This has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with poetry. It stands for “Piss On Everything, Tomorrow’s Saturday.” She explained that she didn’t want her staff to take the stress of their work back to their families. She wants them to enjoy their weekends and come back to work refreshed and productive on Monday; so at the meeting the group does whatever they need to do to distress: laugh, cry, complain, vent, let-their-hair-down—whatever it takes. The meeting lasts for about an hour and folks head for home leaving their work stress behind.
This is not to be confused with a Pity Party. If someone announces that they want a Pity Party, it must be held within the next 24 hours. Usually it is in the evening after work and may involce alcohol. The initiator of the Pity Party starts off by sharing his or her pitiful story and gathering as much sympathy as possible. Then, that person must listen while everyone else attending also shares a pitiful story. Carolyn assures me that in this context, it’s almost impossible to feel pitiful for long. Everyone can’t help but laugh at the absurdities and everybody leaves feeling better.
It’s great meeting someone who is thinking pro-actively about de-stressing her staff—and with humor!. I’d love to hear what others are doing that is fun and unique. Anyone out there got anything to share?
