Like many companies, we have a once a month birthday recognition and sit down together to share one of my favorite food groups–cake. I am a fast eater, so I usually finish very quickly and then just sit and talk or listen to others tell about some personal events in their lives. And as much as I love cake, I really love the time that we all share together.

When I think about working where I do, I don’t immediately think about the building, the work, or the benefits. I think of the people. We like to work with people like us. That’s how fun things like our accidental wellness program got started. Now that’s not to say we don’t have diversity in our group. The personality differences just in our local office could fill a psychology textbook, but that’s just part of the fun!

I read a great post a while back by Jason Lauritsen that got me thinking about the people we work with. The tribes, if you will. It’s difficult when I’m recruiting someone to explain just what the “people” aspect of working here is like. I can recite the litany of benefits and perks, but I always lack the words to describe that.

Maybe I can just start saying, “We have cake time. It’s a chance for us to get together and share some fun stories and fight over corner pieces with extra frosting.” Eh, I still think it needs work, but the bottom line is when you are thinking about your workplace, do you think about the people? It’s much more fun to go to work when you have friends there.

Want to make friends? Offer them some cake. I’d take some.

The image above is one of my favorite web comics ever. Check it out here.