Good for Business: The Benefits of Rituals, Part 2.

• Author: South, Holly

Developing workplace rituals--group activities, shared meals, awards ceremonies--can be an effective way for legislative teams to improve performance and stay connected to their purpose and values, as we explored in Part 1 of this story.

But rituals also can be a great way to break down silos in a large professional operation such as a legislature.

Tim Sekerak used an opportunity for professional development to do just that in the Oregon Statehouse. During the two-day program, held during interim years and organized by the nonpartisan offices of the legislative branch, each group in the building--bill drafters, building maintenance, elections staff and others --discusses priorities and projects. "These connections are really important," he says.

Joy Engelby, who leads the Applications Development and Support team in the Missouri House, established a well-received "Lunch & Learn" program so that staff could learn more about the work their colleagues are doing and the details of legislating.

Between sessions, Colorado's nonpartisan Legislative Council Staff forms several subject-matter teams made up of people from all sections of the office. "For example, the education team will include fiscal analysts, economists and research analysts who all work on education topics," says Natalie Mullis, who leads the Council Staff office. "We also distribute the information technology staff among the subject-matter teams. These teams work together to curate and update the information available to the Legislature in their subject area each interim, and they also take one or two field trips each year."

Mullis says they typically spend half the day on a tour related to their subject area and the other half doing something fun or charitable. The office usually contributes a small amount per employee to defray expenses.

Celebrate

Establishing a celebration ritual "primes the brain to look for the good, to look for moments to highlight," workplace consultant Gary Ware says.

For the last 20 years at least, current and former staffers of the fiscal note section in Colorado have gathered at a local bar or restaurant after major committee deadlines. Custom dictates that "the first round is paid for by the last person who left the section," Mullis says. "It's a great way for the staff to come together to celebrate the hard work of the last few months and to catch up with former fiscal staff."

A proponent of bringing staff together over free food, Othni Lathram...