Ever since Jonathan Dalli and Jonathan Chetcuti set out to open their own business, back in 2010, they knew that they were going to do business differently.
First of all, a dull office environment was not going to do, so, in 2014 they moved their operation to the quaint Hardrocks Business Park offices in Naxxar with its own café restaurant that even had Lovin Malta write about it here.
As soon as you walk into the Stadium, you are welcomed with vibrant colours that really set the scene for the creative work that takes place inside it. We have an open office that allows conversation and idea-generation to flow easily, and a huge blackboard that allows us to jot down those ideas for everyone to see and give each other feedback.
The team works with the latest technology, satisfying both Mac and Windows lovers, because hey, we are allowed to work with whatever we’re most comfortable with.
Every Monday, we kick off the week with a Creative Planning Session, where all the current projects are discussed. This process is especially important because it allow us all to be in-the-know of what’s going on in respective teams and we are welcome to add our input and ideas. Oh, and the weekly CPS includes mandatory goodies to sugar-coat the agenda J
Since none of us are smokers, we spend our non-cigarette breaks in the terrace when we need a little breather or a change of scene for bouncing off creative ideas.
The open-office culture is also mirrored in our dialogue. Every so often, we have what we call “Open Feedback Sessions”, where we gather around at someone’s house and have very frank discussions about what works and what can be improved in our Stadium, our Directors included. Sipping wine and cheering over beer helps to keep the mood light so no offence is taken – unless football team rivalry comes up!
We also organise more training-oriented events every quarter, where usually two members team up to organise a fun-filled, yet educational afternoon for the whole team. We genuinely enjoy each other’s company, so much that we also often organise after-hours movie nights and game nights (cue: Cards Against Humanity!)
But what are the benefits to investing so much in having a fun-loving company culture?
- A great culture is a signal of success
Employee engagement leads to greater participation. Our team members feel like they are the company and there is a sense of ownership to their work. In turn, this helps our clients receive the best possible service from us.
- Culture fulfils our team
When a team is engaged, they feel more alive and have more fun on the job. We spend more time in our offices than at home, so the time spent at work contributes to a large part of a fulfilled life.
- Culture helps the day-to-day business
It really is no secret that a happy employee is a productive employee, so when a team is united, productivity increases. We understand this, so we make sure that the team is engaged and united on a daily basis, often having lunch together and work on projects that bring us closer together.
