SAY HELLO TO F-OFF FRIDAYS Team-Building Doesn’t Have to Suck
enjoy. At Sklar Technology Partners, we’ve adopted a very successful team optimization plan fondly known as “F-Off Fridays” (or FoF). Come Again? It’s simple. For one Friday each month, we give part of our team permission to, pardon our French, “F-Off.” Here’s how F-Off Friday works: 1. Each quarter, we randomly divide staff into two teams (about five people each). The captains are the first two names drawn. 2. The teams each select one Friday per month — not on the same Friday — to leave the office at noon for their F-Off Friday event. 3. The company provides a $100 budget to spend during the event. Teams can choose almost any event, but it must be a project or activity the whole team can do together.
The terrifying trust fall.
The awkward human knot.
4. After each FoF, the team who was out presents their results to the rest of the company. 5. Pictures from FoF events are put up on our office corkboard and on the company’s Facebook page. Since introducing F-Off Fridays, we’ve had fantastic results. Giving teams the freedom to choose their activity means people are more invested in the event. We’ve had teams go to escape rooms, float the river, see a movie together, and even spend the afternoon at an arcade. People always have a lot of fun. It’s clear that team-building activities are worth the effort.
The dreaded karaoke night.
Let’s face it, team-building activities kind of suck. They’re awkward, uncomfortable, and often feel like a total waste of time. Most of us would rather work mandatory overtime than be forced to hear our tipsy coworker’s off-key rendition of “Don’t Stop Believin’.” The thing is that team- building exercises are important. These activities can improve communication, break down barriers between different departments, teach problem- solving skills, and foster a greater company culture. All these ingredients serve to increase all-around productivity.
Team-building activities are useful; the trick is to find the kind of activity your team will actually
Every company should try F-Off Fridays this year.
Inspired by Recipe World Napa Cabbage Kimchi Treat Yourself to Traditional Korean Kimchi
Ingredients • 6 lb Napa cabbage • 1/2 cup of kosher salt
Directions 1. Prepare the cabbage for salting by slicing off the tough part of the core and splitting the cabbage in half. Sprinkle salt on each leaf and place cabbage in a water basin for two hours, turning cabbage every 30 minutes.
• 2 cups of radish, cut into thin strips • 1 cup of carrot, cut into thin strips • 7–8 scallions, chopped • 1 cup of chives, chopped • 1 cup water dropwort, chopped (optional) Porridge: • 2 cups of water • 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour • 2 tbsp brown sugar Kimchi Paste: • 24 cloves of garlic, minced or puréed • 2 tsp ginger, minced • 1 medium onion, minced • 1/2 cup fish sauce • 1/4 cup fermented salted shrimp, chopped • 2 cups hot pepper flakes
2. Split cabbage into fourths and rinse
thoroughly under cold water to remove salt particles. Put cabbage in a strainer to drain excess water.
3. To make the porridge, add water, rice flour, and brown sugar to a small pot over medium heat. Mix continuously for 9 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool completely. 4. Put cooled porridge in a large mixing bowl and add garlic, ginger, onion, fish sauce, fermented salted shrimp, and hot pepper flakes. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Add the radish, carrots, scallions, chives, and water dropwort and mix well. 5. Rub kimchi paste on each cabbage leaf, roll cabbage into a packet and place in leak-proof plastic container. Let kimchi sit undisturbed at room temperature for at least a day to allow fermentation. After kimchi is finished fermenting, store in the refrigerator.
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