‘Smart companies are looking to identify the type of activities that employees will show up for’

Headhunter and recruitment specialist David Borg on Thursday pinpointed a shift that has taken place when it comes to the interpretation of employee satisfaction and company events, from being management-driven, to more ‘employee-led’.

“Over the last 20 to 25 years we’ve seen the concept of fun in the office interpreted as colourful beanbags, arcade games, and ping pong tables intermingled with forced out-of-hour teambuilding exercises and post-work drinks. But there is a shift and it’s for the better,” the BigWig Headhunters and WigWam Recruitment Co-Founder and COO said.

He remarked that instead of “bringing in kindergarten-like decor” to the office, opting to allow employees to “decide what they view as a valuable way to connect” with one another can “mean the world of difference to employee engagement and retention”. Last month, human resources specialists highlighted how networking and a “strong social calendar” have a direct influence on employee retention and motivation.

“Smart companies are looking to identify the type of activities that employees will show up for, rather than be ‘forced’ to attend. Employee-led activities come out as the winners,” Mr Borg added.

“From Zoom sessions on a Friday at 4pm where they can ‘wine and whine’, to employee-led cooking classes and online yoga sessions,” he said, before adding that is no longer about obstacle courses and other teambuilding events during the weekend. The focus is now on the “freedom to choose which activity you want to attend and which doesn’t impact your personal time and life”.

He concluded by saying that management teams must be in a “position of realisation”, as an “employee’s time is precious to them and must be respected”.

Mr Borg has a wide range of experience in recruitment, culminating in the founding of BigWig Headhunters and its sister brand, WigWam Recruitment. Prior to that, he also worked at European eXecutive Search for over 18 years, initially as Headhunter – German Equities, and then as Senior Account Manager, before he was promoted to Partner – European Equities. He states that he enjoys “finding the right people for the right role, not just any person for any role”.

Aside from recruitment, he is also an established name in the local radio industry through his time at XFM 100.2, where he hosted breakfast shows and drivetime shows for a number of years.