This week is National Volunteer week! What will you do to make your volunteers feel valued?

I love to play! Play is a word that’s been in my vocabulary from a very early age. As kids we love to play, but as adults we sometimes forget how important play can be in our lives, especially at work. Play can be viewed as a waste of time and resources. I beg to differ. When done well, play can be very beneficial and lucrative.  Here are four tips for helping you create some structured (and fun) playtime in your office:

The disengaged employee - You can spot them a mile away. Their "can't do" attitude and general unpleasantness sours nearly every cubicle or meeting room they walk into. According to Glassdoor, seventy-percent of the American workforce is comprised of individuals who are “checked out” of their work responsibilities and sleepwalking through their career.

As a self-proclaimed brand spankin’ new employee of Baudville, Friday was my very first Employee Appreciation Day at the ‘Ville. I’ll let you in on a little secret: Friday was my first Employee Appreciation Day ever… It’s not like this is my first year in the workforce, it’s just that I’ve never worked anywhere that so much as batted an eyelash for Employee Appreciation Day. Man are those employers AND employees missing out because Friday was my favorite workday of the year so far!!

“Abby, this may be the best salsa I have ever tasted.” I’ll be the first to admit that nothing quite fills up my tank like a few sweet words of flattery, and I’m willing to bet that plenty of people get just as psyched as I do about World Compliment Day.