LilyPad Lowdown

Start Cheesin’

Posted on April 11, 2013

Anyone who has ever stepped foot into Camp Red Frog would easily pick up on the fact that we like to smile… A LOT. We’re a pretty happy bunch and we are also truly fortunate to be surrounded with coworkers who happen to have some of the most contagious smiles around. In case you and your coworkers need a little bit of motivation to start smiling more often, here are some truly amazing benefits to this little phenomenon also known as straight up cheesin’.

Smiling is one of the most basic human expressions of all time. In fact, we are actually born smiling! And have you ever wondered why it’s so difficult to keep from smiling around another person who smiles so frequently? This is due to the fact that smiling is evolutionarily contagious and suppresses the control that we usually have over our facial muscles. Several studies have reported that children smile as many as 400 times per day… no wonder being around kids makes us so happy.

When we smile, our brain reward mechanism is stimulated in a way that even biting into a delicious bar of chocolate cannot match. According to a study conducted by British researchers, one smile has the potential to generate the same level of brain stimulation as up to 2,000 bars of chocolate! We definitely love some good chocolate here at Camp Red Frog (as displayed by our many S’more stations and M&M candy dispensers located around just about every corner) but 2,000 bars would most likely result in some serious bellyaches… so we’ll probably just stick to smiling for now!

A great smile is easy to come by at Camp Red Frog, and we hope this post has convinced you to start spreading some serious smiles around your workplace as well. After all, it’s contagious and can simply make you healthier overall. Who wouldn’t want that? So start cheesin’, people!

Posted in Giving, Gratitude, Productivity/Success | Tagged chicago, events, red frog events | Leave a comment

Social Media-Not Just Fun & Games

Posted on April 9, 2013

Whether it is to keep up with current events or stay in touch with friends, many of us have become all too familiar with various social media outlets. But social media can be used for so much more, especially when you are on the hunt for a new job. Today employers use LinkedIn as a major tool when looking for employees, with more than 64% utilizing it as a source. And it is an even more vital of a tool for job seekers. LinkedIn is the go to resource when on the job market, with it providing job listings, company information and more importantly a networking mecca. Companies are also navigating other sites as well to get full backgrounds on interviewees.

Now more than ever employers are looking at social media profiles when checking out
prospective employees. Companies check out your profile to make sure you are a good fit with their company. Tom Bates, the Social Influence Director for digital strategist company Contagion, said, “ I also look at all their other social media identities to get more sense of who they are, outside of the one-hour interview I may have with them. I look at their Facebook and Twitter and potentially Instagram and beyond to make sure there is a good cultural fit.” So, be sure that your profile shows your personality while keeping things appropriate.

Finding jobs in the past few years hasn’t been easy for anyone, but with new technology and social media job postings, networking is becoming more easily accessible. The days of searching the classifieds for job postings are over. By successfully utilizing the tools in front of us, employers are able to see your skills and abilities and get you one step closer to landing your dream job.

Posted in Innovation, Productivity/Success, Tips | Tagged chicago, company culture, office, red frog events | Leave a comment

A Helping Hand for PAWS

Posted on April 4, 2013

“Be big-hearted, and give back.” This is just one of the many mottos we live by here at Camp Red Frog and is clearly exemplified in our longstanding partnerships with organizations such as St. Jude and Green Sneakers to name just a few. We certainly love to give back in big ways, but we also believe in giving back on a smaller scale by helping out within our local community. For the past few weeks, we Red Froggers have been opening our hearts to some furry little friends at PAWS, Chicago’s largest no kill and humane pet adoption center.

Founded in 1997, PAWS has been on the forefront of the No Kill Movement, raising funds to help support their mission, as well as spreading awareness throughout the community about the importance of taking care of our fellow pet population in the best and safest way possible. Most of the daily routine at PAWS which includes everything from cleaning to socializing cats and walking dogs, is handled by volunteers.

We quickly took notice of the great amount of love that pours into the daily routine of taking care of the PAWS animals. Rooms are complete with plenty of cozy nooks to snuggle into for an afternoon nap, piles of colorful toys to play with, as well as pictures of its occupants hung about the walls. A walk down Kitty City, or Dog Town reveals busy intersections of willing adopters in search of a new friend for life to take home with them. Keeping the PAWS facility in great shape not only helps keep the animals safe and comfortable, but also allows for volunteers and PAWS employees to show them off to potential adopters in the best possible light.

The current goal for PAWS is to have Chicago become a No Kill community within the next five years. This is an incredible goal to strive for, and knowing that we can join in on PAWS Chicago’s mission as volunteers by simply hanging out with some cute, furry friends is a great feeling. After all, when we all help out in little ways, we can certainly accomplish BIG things!

Posted in Giving, Gratitude, Innovation | Tagged chicago, red frog events | Leave a comment

Camp Fit

Posted on April 2, 2013

With a cold start to the spring season, we admit, our motivation to get up and be active has been a little stagnant. The cold Chicago air is not always the most
welcoming climate to get outdoors and go for a jog. But, before we know it summer will be here and it will be time to shed the many layers of clothing that this winter has forced us to wear.

It seems that with the approaching summer months upon us, people are scrambling to get into shape. Here at Red Frog we want people to have that mentality year round! How do we do this you ask? We just recently started a work-out program at the RFE office called Camp Fit, inviting all Red Froggers to join in on weekly yoga and jogging sessions. Whether you prefer an end of the day “ommm” or pounding the pavement, Camp Fit motivates us to get up and be active with our co-workers. Tadpole, Carrie Kubitschek, a yoga and jog attendee said, “Camp Fit is great because it gives you a great opportunity to exercise with a group, which motivates me more.”

With the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life, it is sometimes hard to find the time to workout or it seems that there is always something that comes up in place of it. Camp Fit gives us the opportunity of getting fit right in our workplace. Whether it be walking down to the Mess Hall for yoga or joining the group for a jog along the lake, Red Frog promotes a healthy lifestyle for all of its employees. And at the end of the day (or workout), we are all happy, fit Campers!

Posted in Innovation, Productivity/Success, Tips | Tagged chicago, company culture, froggers, office, office culture, office fun, red frog events | Leave a comment

We Love Our Workplace

Posted on March 28, 2013

There are many reasons we come into work each day. At Camp Red Frog, we genuinely enjoy our unique office space as well as the good company of fellow Frogs and Tadpoles. We also happen to love the work we do and more importantly, we love knowing that we are making positive and lasting contributions every day.

In an attempt to share our love of all things Camp Red Frog, we have created a “We Love Our Workplace” video and entered it into a contest with Great Place to Work. Throughout the video, Frogs reflect on a few of their most memorable experiences while working with Camp Red Frog. Tales of Warriors competing against all odds to complete a Warrior Dash, as well as our longstanding contribution to St. Jude are among a few of the highlights featured in our “We Love Our Workplace” video.

Please take a minute to share our video with all of your family and friends! You can vote for our video by visiting http://www.greatplacetowork.com/2013-video-contest-entries and searching for Red Frog Events before the deadline of March 29^th. Great Place to Work has also promised to donate $5000 to St. Jude on our behalf if we win the contest, so be sure to vote soon!