In his book, Art’s Principles, the founder of Gensler, Art Gensler recounts how important it is for employees to wash their own dirty dishes in the company cafeteria.
“It sends four key messages,” he wrote.
- “You respect each other as teammates.”
- “You check your ego at the door when you come to work.” No one is above doing the dishes.
- It reinforces the start-to-finish mindset required for great service (important in all enterprises, especially service businesses).
- “Every experience comes together to create what a potential or current clients thanks about your brand. Your office is one big brand environment.”
These same principles apply to other things you might do at work. If you volunteer for a committee to benefit employees (even though you aren’t in HR). If you help straighten up a conference room at the end of the meeting (even if you are not whomever might do this if you didn’t and if you don’t know, find out) If you take the time to write up some company success to share with employees so that they can learn about it and feel proud (even though you aren’t in marketing). Taking the time to get to know everyone in the office and being interested in their careers (even though you aren’t the manager). Introducing people you meet to your company and what makes you all great (even though you are not in sales).
If everyone does things that aren't their job for the good of the group, then the group is good.