Every August, I head back to my home state of Minnesota to spend time with my family. More often than not, we end up at the Minnesota State Fair and this year was no exception.
When I wasn't consuming deep-fried pickles (don't knock 'em until you've tried 'em) or Sweet Martha's cookies, I found myself in awe of all the state pride around me.
There was no shortage of people wearing t-shirts emblazoned with state-pride-centric phrases that had nothing to do with sports. It hit me that while they also love the Vikings, Minnesotans are really, truly just proud to be Minnesotans.
courtesy of minnesota-awesome.com
Rocking a Minnesota tee is one way to proclaim that you belong to the tribe. That you aren't ashamed of your love of tater tot hot dish, propensity for elongated vowels, or your excessively nice demeanor. In fact, you love these qualities and want everyone in the world to know it! And let me tell you – a pride that strong is contagious. I definitely left with a few new Minnesota-centric items of my own.
It wasn't until the following week when I was getting back into work mode, that I realized how the contagious nature of pride is present at work.
Whether it means rocking a company t-shirt or praising your employer at a happy hour, there is no better recruiting tool than an employee who loves their job.
No employer marketing campaign or salary increase can replace the contagious energy of someone encouraging a friend or acquaintance to join them at a company they love.
Meanwhile, a lack of pride can quickly damage a tribe's reputation and growth. Whether it manifests as a scathing Glassdoor review or is just a passing remark to a friend about why they wouldn't like working for the company, a disgruntled employee can be just as impactful as an excited one.
What category do your employees fall into?
To happier employees,
Jill
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