House cleaning is hard physical work. In fact, one of the questions I used to ask during interviews was:
“House cleaning is hard physical labor. How do you feel about that?”
I wasn’t trying to scare anyone off. I just wanted to see their reaction and make sure they understood what the job really involved. Because when I first started this company all those years ago, I cleaned homes myself and let me tell you, it is hard work! It’s also probably one of the better workout programs nobody has figured out how to charge a monthly membership for. Anyway, there’s a reason I’m mentioning all this.
Our ladies work hard cleaning. They bend, lift, scrub, vacuum, mop, climb stairs, carry supplies, and somehow still manage to smile at customers at the end of it all. So every now and then, they deserve a break from the hard work and a chance to simply relax, have fun, and enjoy each other’s company. And that’s exactly what we recently did at Emily’s Maids.
Jill, our Operations Manager, organized an amazing team outing where the ladies could spend time together outside of work, get to know each other a little better, have some fun, and, most importantly, eat something they didn’t have to clean up afterward.
The first stop was Paddywax Candle Bar in Dallas’s Bishop Arts area. I thought this was such a smart idea for a team activity. Everyone got to choose their own candle vessel and fragrance, then learn how to pour and create their own candle. It was creative, relaxed, social, and gave everyone plenty of time to talk and laugh together. And at the end, they had a keepsake to take home. One of our team members even said candle making was something she had wanted to do for years but had never gotten around to. I loved hearing that. Sometimes a simple company outing can turn into a memory someone keeps for a long time.
After the candle workshop, the team headed to Vila Brazil for lunch and this wasn’t exactly a light salad-and-sandwich situation. Vila Brazil is a Brazilian steakhouse where servers bring different cuts of grilled meat directly to the table and carve them right onto your plate. Beef, chicken, pork, and more kept making the rounds while the ladies enjoyed the meal and a beautiful view overlooking Lake Ray Hubbard. And judging by the messages afterward, the food was definitely a hit. But most importantly, though, the outing gave everyone a chance to spend time together as people rather than simply coworkers moving from one cleaning job to the next.
Now, I want to thank Jill for putting the entire day together (and for creating the snazzy little video recap on the left). Our team works incredibly hard, and they deserve experiences like this. I couldn’t ask for a better person to lead Emily’s Maids, take care of our staff, and make sure our customers are taken care of too. Thank you, Jill. You rock!
We’ve actually held employee events like this for years, but I haven’t written much about them. I thought it would be nice to start sharing more of what happens behind the scenes at Emily’s Maids, not just the cleaning, but the people, relationships, traditions, and little moments that make a company feel like a team.
And a huge Thank-You to the ladies of Emily’s Maids. You work hard so our customers don’t have to. Your dedication, reliability, and commitment to doing good work for our amazing customers are what make Emily’s Maids what it is today. You make a company we all can be proud of. Though a company is really just the people behind it and we are fortunate to have a team we can be proud of. Thank you!! And after all that candle making and Brazilian steak, I hope everyone came back to work well rested or, at least, well fed.