You plus me, what a ride

I am a big believer that time out of the business is just as important as the time in it.

I speak to clients all the time who, as employers, spend all of their time in their businesses, because they feel like they have to.

As a HR consultant, I help business owners to create a balanced workplace culture – for them and their teams.

GETT OFF

As I write this blog, my wife and I are currently on a cruise.

We are visiting Athens, Venice and Dubrovnik, followed by Milan and Verona, plus a number of Hard Rock Cafes along the way (which regular readers will know it’s my favourite brand).

We are also going back to my favourite one in Europe – the Hard Rock Café in Venice.

When my wife and I go away, we use the titles of Prince songs to name the trips.  Previous trips include ‘When Doves Fly’ (when we visited Singapore and the Far East) and ‘Take Me With You’ (when we toured the United States last year).

The cruise is titled ‘Gett Off’- another Prince reference.  The title of this blog – ‘you plus me, what a ride’ – is one of the few safe-to-use lines from the lyrics.  If you search online for the full lyrics, I suggest you proceed with caution.

HOLDING THE FORT

I’m actually taking a couple of weeks off; two weeks out of my business.

The day before we left, it was my wife’s birthday – which is also the reason for the holiday.

Just like my time in the States last year, I am not taking my laptop with me – I am very grateful that I have a great team who will hold the fort while I am away, which allows me to fully immerse myself in the holiday, as well as the birthday celebrations.

All my clients were informed about me being away, and my team have autonomy to handle decisions (and, in emergencies, they know that I can be contacted, except on the couple of days that I our cruise ship is sailing out at sea).

YOU CAN’T DO IT ALL

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As an employer, you couldn’t and shouldn’t do it all.  You could be in your business all day, every day, for every day of the year – but that is not conducive to a good working environment.

Having the right team is so important, not only for your well-being, but also for team morale.

You should have a team that you trust; be able to delegate tasks; and create a culture where the whole team are accountable, in a positive sense – all working towards the common goal of ensuring business success.

REFRESH AND RECHARGE

Personally, I am enjoying a few days away - especially to celebrate my wife’s birthday and to spend some work-free time with her - and I look forward to coming back refreshed and recharged.

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If you are an employer and need support with creating the right workplace culture; having the right team; and being able to take time out– whether to work ‘on’ the business or simply to have time away from it – then please get in touch for an informal chat about how my HR solutions can benefit your whole organisation.

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Photo: this is the 'Love All, Serve All' sign inside the Hard Rock Cafe in Venice.

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