Fun at work100% of employees surveyed say:• They all can use more fun at work• They want more excitement and energy at work• They want to create a dynamic team of individuals working together as partnersin the company's success.With today's heightened pressure for employees to work longer hours, produce more for their organization, and in many situations with less resource, this constant stress takes its toll on our mental health and often results in wear and tear on our emotional capacity to cope.

Recent surveys of participants in Powerful Play Experiences workshops confirm “Fun at Work” as an essential element for the health & wellness of the body, mind and soul. Participants were asked to evaluate their participation in a Powerful Play Experiences workshop in relation to the benefits immediately following the workshop, as well as the hours after the workshop when they returned to work.

The participants reported the following benefits:• Set the tone to feel positive, be happy and ready to take on the day• Improved attentiveness and readiness for the day's activities (memory, stamina)• Raised levels of energy• Heightened concentration and alertness• Introduced the important element of fun and laughter into our teamwork model• Strengthened the relationships with co-workers through the joy of play• Created close connections with co-workers• Re-established special bonds and created new ones with co-workers• Alleviated stress levels• Stretched and challenged our imaginations and creative thinkingIsn't it interesting how simple it is.

Wellness at Work Through the Power of Play780.929.5949

Why Fun at Work Matters

by Adrian Gostick and Scott Christopher Excerpt from The Levity Effect: Why It Pays to Lighten Up

If people are having fun, they’re going to work harder, stay longer, maintain their composure in a crisis and take better care of the organization. Here’s one example.

An excited Kirt Womack of the Thiokol factory in Utah sprinted into his manager’s office on the first day of spring and asked if the folks on the factory floor could do something fun -- say, head outside and fly paper airplanes -- if they met their quota two hours early. The manager wrinkled his brow and vetoed the idea. Kirt persisted, “Well, then, what if we exceed our quota by 50 percent?” Figuring he had nothing to lose, the manager finally gave in.

Later that day, at 1:30, the manager checked on things and found that his employees had reached 110 percent of their quota. By 3 p.m., they’d surpassed 150 percent. The airplanes were launched, laughter rang out and people frolicked (funny word, frolicked).

This tale is no big deal, right? Sure, except for the fact that a 50 percent increase isn’t exactly insignificant. While this tale illustrates the benefits of levity at work, it also underscores the dire need to enlighten management. You should know what the supervisor’s initial reaction was to his workers’ hitting the 150 percent production goal by 3 p.m. Rather than connecting the dots and seeing the link between the promise of fun and working harder, he instead commented, “Imagine what you guys could have accomplished if you hadn’t taken two hours off to screw around!”

The manager’s initial ignorance did little to dissuade the workers. The kind of joyous, playful, break-the-tension fun they engaged in is taking place all around the world in organizations that care about performance, retention and profitability. Motivated purely by the opportunity to have a little fun at work, the aviation

workers increased their performance dramatically. The next week they negotiated for a volleyball game on the factory floor as a reward and again hit record production levels. Each week, they continued to request fun rewards and turned in astounding production numbers. By the third week, when they had earned a trip offsite for ice cream cones, the manager finally got it.

That, in a waffle cone, is the power of the Levity Effect at work.

An increasing body of research demonstrates that when leaders lighten up and create a fun workplace, there is a significant increase in the level of employee trust, creativity and communication -- leading to lower turnover, higher morale and a stronger bottom line.

The research also shows that managers who have taught themselves to be funnier are more effective communicators and better salespeople, have more engaged employees, earn a lot more than their peers and are much thinner. OK, maybe not the last one.

The Path to ‘Great’ness

It’s hard to believe that a warm and fuzzy subject such as fun could impact an organization’s success. But the remarkable case for levity at work is growing, with the most convincing numbers culled from more than a decade of research by the Great Place to Work Institute. Data from the organization’s 1 million-person research database reveals that “Great” companies consistently earn significantly higher marks for “fun.”

Each year, the Great Place to Work Institute asks tens of thousands of employees to rate their experience of workplace factors, including, “This is a fun place to work.” On Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list, produced by the Great Place to Work Institute, employees in companies that are denoted as “great” responded overwhelmingly -- an average of 81 percent -- that they are working in a “fun” environment. That’s a compelling statistic: Employees at the best companies are also having the best time. At the “good” companies -- those that apply for inclusion but do not make the top 100 -- only 62 employees out of 100 say they are having fun. That gap in experience is, surprisingly, one of the largest in the survey.

The Case for Levity

Now, a skeptic will ask, “Are successful companies just more fun to be in, since they are winning and profitable, or does fun create success?” It’s the old, “which came first, the chicken or the egg” question. As we met with Amy Lyman, chair of the board and cofounder of the Institute, she explained that fun and success go hand in hand. And, all companies should be wondering how to have more fun. “It’s absolutely a question companies should be asking themselves, because it is something that happens in great workplaces,” she said. “In fact, it would be very unusual for a company to be among the ‘100 Best’ and not score well on the fun question.”

Wow. In case you didn’t catch that, let us repeat it. It would be rare to be one of Fortune’s "100 Best Companies to Work For" and not score well on the fun question.

Correlations to fun on the 57-question survey are all “very high, very positive,” Lyman added. In fact, employees who strongly agree with that statement are extremely likely -- a rock-solid 0.61 correlation -- to also reply positively to the statement, “Taking everything into account, I would say this is a great place to work.”

Lyman explained to us that as a company moves on its journey from being lousy to good to great, they must first address basic issues such as physical safety and even friendliness. But to compare, the leverage increase from the good companies up to the best on the friendliness question is just 11.25 percent. On the fun question, the gap is 29 percent.

"In other words, when companies make the leap from good to great, they must start addressing sophisticated trust issues. One corollary to developing strong bonds of trust is that people are able to also have a great deal of fun at work," Lyman says. "If you are interested in increasing the opportunities for fun across an organization, and people genuinely engage and have fun, then that is an indication to me of a strong workplace culture that people will want to commit to. You would see a correlation between fun and reduced turnover, better recruiting, greater camaraderie…all those positive things you see happen in great workplaces. You can also see the exact same thing happen within a work group."

Fun at work makes it easier for employees to function on the job

Filed under Business, Research on Thursday, July 17, 2008.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Having fun in the workplace is no joke when it comes to boosting employee productivity, a new University of Florida study finds.

Workers who have a good time while they’re on the clock accomplished more, showed a higher level of creativity and extended more help to co-workers, said Erin Fluegge Woolf, who did the research for her doctoral dissertation in management at UF.

“With people spending more and more of their lives at work, they feel they might as well make it enjoyable, and our study finds surprising payoffs when they do,” said Fluegge Woolf, who is now a management professor at Southeast Missouri State University. “Not only did employees report being in better moods and more engaged in their work, they also performed better on the job.”

Fluegge Woolf defines fun at work as “any social, interpersonal or job-related activity of either a humorous or playful nature that a person finds enjoyable and interesting. It can be anything from an office party to playing jokes on people you work with,” she said.

“Despite the popularity of the concept of fun at work, which emerged with the dot-com boom of the ‘90s when businesses become more associated with play, there has been little research addressing its effects on individual job performance,” she said.

Fluegge Woolf surveyed 245 UF students enrolled in an undergraduate management course who also worked at least 20 hours a week about their

perceptions of their workplace as fun. The study participants were asked to rate how frequently they were able to socialize with co-workers, have celebrations at work and be permitted various personal freedoms at work, such as having a relaxed dress code.

How well they actually performed on the job was measured by their employers, who completed surveys of their own, she said.

The study found the strongest relationships between having fun at work and organizational citizenship behaviors such as helping co-workers, being loyal to the company and showing pride in the organization.

“People feel like part of the gang when they’re sharing some of their pranks and jokes, and it builds their emotional attachment to those they work with,” Fluegge Woolf said. “It would make sense that you’re more likely to help your co-workers when you know them better.”

The study also found that having fun at work increases employees’ job engagement, which encourages them to be more creative, Fluegge Woolf said. “When you’re really attuned to what you’re doing, it closely resembles this idea of flow and the result is a greater level of creativity,” she said.

Fluegge Woolf said she got the idea for the research from her own experience on the job as something of a practical joker. She participated in a variety of pranks, including hiding her co-workers’ belongings, passing around a dog toy that resembled a piece of meat and fabricating a story for the rest of the staff about a wedding taking place outside their office. Occasionally, she was the target, such as the time she left work to find her car covered in plastic wrap.

Despite the collegial advantages of a fun-loving environment, it may not always be appropriate, depending on the nature of the work and the culture of the organization, Fluegge Woolf said. For instance, restaurant customers may delight in seeing the wait staff having a good time, but be turned off at finding employees in a funeral home yuck it up or doctors banter with nurses in a hospital or nursing home, she said.

At the same time, aiming to have fun in the workplace can be taken to such an extreme that it defeats its purpose, she said.

“There is a darker side to this positivity in an organization, which manifests itself in the idea of forced fun, be it an office party or any other mandatory social event,” she said. “Managers need to be sensitive about what activity tends to work best with a particular set of personalities, whether it is a casual event or something more formal like a recognition party.”

John W. Newstrom, a University of Minnesota Duluth emeritus management professor and co-author of “Leading with a Laugh” and the forthcoming book “The Fun Minute Manager,” said the study provides significant evidence that further legitimizes the role of fun at work.

“Fluegge Woolf’s results are highly consistent with our previous research conducted for the Society for Human Resource Management, but her survey also documents the results that employers value most – creativity, productivity, teamwork and loyalty,” he said.

ACTIVITIES TO INSPIRE

currently listing 96 activities in this section

DIET COKE MOMENT

Youve seen the ad... hunky male model drinks coke outside the ladies window. Or in this case delivers cans to all your female staff more

ICE SCULPTOR An ice sculptor in residence for the day can make a dramatic (if short lived) centrepiece for your reception area as well as an interesting feature for staff and visitors to watch in the making, we can even arrange them having a go themselves more

 

ARTIST IN ACTION An artist working in your building will provide an interesting feature for staff and visitors, inspire creativity amongst the workforce and leave you the legacy of an original artwork more

 

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW

Your staff will have the opportunity to bring in those dusty heirlooms from home, find out more about them and get that all important ‘insurance’ valuation from our expert. Also there is the option of a display of pieces to learn more about and possibly guess the value of. more

 

 

A TOUCH OF THE BLARNEY

Celebrate St Patricks day with a touch of green, an Irish comic and some of that Riverdance more

 

LAUGHTER CLINICS You’ve seen the send ups on the TV... but we all agree that laughter is the best cure for just about every problem .. We just need some help to let go. These clinics are fun, invigorating and energising. more

 

BIG SMILE PLEASE A smile costs nothing and makes everybodys day ... but have some of us forgotten how. Our theatre director will teach your staff that ‘natural’ smile without the cheesy grin. more

 

PROMS SEASON Ever wish you knew a little bit more about classical music. Our expert will play excerpts of pieces and help with appreciation of them and the composers .. possibly preceding a trip to see the piece live. more

 

GARDENERS QUESTION TIME

Everybody is a budding gardener, whether just a window box or a country estate and we all have questions about what to plant, what’s gone wrong and of course how to prune the roses. Our panel can answer these in traditional question time session. Also possible are various workshops, plant displays and one to one questions. more

 

A TASTE OF INDIA

Appreciate things from India on National Curry Day more  

SPRING FLOWERS ? Show the women in your organisation how much you appreciate them with a surprise vase of spring flowers on their desk or workstation on the first day of spring. more

 

JEANS FOR GENES Don’t just ‘dress down’ when you can really do some good, linking in with this growing national awareness day. Lots of opportunities for fun in participation, a real feel good factor and national publicity. more

 

INDIANAPOLIS 500 Take on the rest with the most authentic american stock car scale racing. 20cm long cars, an 18M banked track, full size steering wheels, computerised lap counting and our very own ‘Murray Walker’ make this the most exciting R/C racing available. more

 

GRAFFITI WALL

Got something to say... a wall for all seasons. Use it for art, as a suggestion box or for some fun in house messages. more

 

BRING YOUR PETS TO WORK Many people will preach the theraputic value of being around animals.

Bring your pets to work with ‘facilities’ arranged as well as linked activities like a spoof dog show or we can arrange for a variety of animals to be brought in, from stars of TV and film to farmyard, household and really wild. Meet the Bat from the Batman movie, win SCRUFFS supreme championship or ride a camel round the car park.more

 

REACHING NEW HIGHS

A traditional rock climbing wall. Challenges and stretches staff to see that they can achieve .. empowers and motivates. Safe top roping and highly trained instructors will help your staff reach new heights. more

 

KIDS AT WORK Bring your kids to work, let them see where you spend your days and find out all about the world of work ... or if that a bit boring we will arrange a huge selection of fun activities for them while you get on with the important stuff. more

 

BOSTON TEA PARTY

America is great and so is a nice cup of English Tea, so lets put the best of the 2 together today for a themed day in the office. Music, tea tastings and a bit of history. more

 

SMALLEST THEATRE Love the theatre but never time to go, have your very own performance almost anywhere in the office or works. With there own mini ‘wheel on’ theatre performances are short, great fun and easily accessible more

 

OFFICE STATUARY Install a lifesize Greek god or similar stutue in your foyer or on the  

factory floor one morning for when your staff arrive. But hold on.. did I see it wink at me and isnt it facing the other way after lunch ? Human stutues can be grecian marble or bronzes.. or wild fantasy animals ... they are always a talking point. more

HEALTH AWARENESS DAY

Are your staff as healthy as they can or should be. Our presentations and experts on hand can help everybody with advice and ideas for a better lifestyle including healthy foods to try with nutritional advice and exercise machines with expert coaching. more

 

ART APPRECIATION All those gallerys, but wouldn’t it be better if you understood a bit more ? Our expert will run short and easily accesible sessions on how to better appreciate great art. Possibly with a visit to a local gallery. more

 

WHO SHOT JR

A murder mystery game in the office.. a body is found by the coffee machine, but who is responsible ? more

 

GUNPOWDER PLOT

Celebrate Nov 5th with your own fireworks and bonfire spectacular more

 

COMMUNITY SERVICE DAY Are you doing your bit for the local community. We can arrange links

between them and your organisation and staff that will enhance your position in the community, be fulfilling for your staff and maybe give you some valuable local publicity. more

 

COWES WEEK AT WORK?

You may be a ways from the sea but that doesnt mean we cannot have a bit of nautical action at work more

 

CRECHE FOR A DAY Bring the kids to work and give your partner a day off. We will set up a professionally run creche in a meeting room or space so that partners can take the day off at your expense. For older kids we will arrange an outing. more

 

OFFICE PETS Something permanent or why not different every week. From rabbits to song birds, lizards to tortoises ... or something larger ! more

 

RED NOSE DAY

Are you doing your bit, let us help with organising some wild activities and loony participation for your staff. more

 

INDEPENDENCE DAY

A big celebration in America and an excuse to have a good time here. Food, sport and more more

 

SECRETARIES DAY

The engine that drives your business, show how much you appreciate them with a special day and the big gestures. Or how about a ‘support staff ‘ day to include security, cleaners, maintenance etc more

 

April Fools Day Boy have we got some great gags for you to pull on your staff .. not nasty or embarrasing just great fun ... not giving anything away here though. All supported with the props and convincing staff to make it a real hoot. more

 

CHILDREN IN NEED You want to help, but what to do and how to coordinate it. We can sort out ideas, activities and organisation including publicity for your staff efforts. more

 

OSCAR NIGHT The stars of your production are your staff and what better to honour them than give them the Hollywood star treatment. On arriving at work your staff will find the barriers up, the red carpet down, the lighting in place, the fans waiting and the papparazzi in attendance. Everybody wants to take their photo, the reporters are asking questions and the fans want autographs. A famous celebrity(lookalike) greets them in front of the welcome backdrop. Later in the day photos are displayed on the wall of Fame. Lots of add-on goodies possible here including oscar stutuettes, framing of the photos to take home and cinema tickets. more

 

ST GEORGE AND THE DRAGON

Why not a bit of patriosim here. Celebrate with a ‘play’ traditional english fare more

 

SKY AT NIGHT Ever wanted to know more about what is up there... one winters late afternoon our expert will guide groups of your staff through the wonders of the night sky. more

 

CANT COOK WONT COOK

We have all seen the telly programme, now try it out for real. Our chefs will help everybody have fun in the kitchen as well as learning how to cook up a little something for their partner. more

 

PERHAPS POP IDOL Singing is good for us in so many ways. It increases confidence, improves clarity of speech and projection and can be just the best fun to learn in a group. With no pressure you can have a laugh yet seriously achieve something fulfilling. more

 

VALENTINES Something for the romantics in us all ... every lady gets Milk Tray form the man in Black and why not a valentines 'love songs' Karaoke more

 

VIVE LA FRANCE

French themed day... Wine and cheese tastings etc more  

Birds of PreyInteract and experience working with these fascinating birds. Even in the heart of the city. Watch demonstrations,handle the birds and learn how these birds are used around office blocks to control pidgeons more

 

WACKY WAX

A wax cast of anything your brave enough to put into the warm wax (usually your hand !) more

 

ABSEIL THE OFFICEWith professional training and assistance you can have you staff abseiling down the side of your office(or local landmark). Great for adrenelin, staff motivation, fund raising and publicity more

 

SEASIDE GOLF Your very own seaside Crazy golf course set up in and around your workplace (indoors or outside). Holiday fun for everyone even in the depths of winter. Also have seaside rock with your name in and Ice creams for all. more

 

HARD UP HENLEY No time for a trip to the regatta ? Have your very own at work with our rowing machine challenge. Complete with blazered coaches and staff, Pimms and canapes more

 

ELECTRIC CHAIR ... WE'VE GOT THE

POWER

We’ve got the power! Just pop yourself into the gruseome looking electric chair, grab the handles and see how much juice you can take before letting go (Arcade Machine , its very safe ... honest!)

 

SKITTLE ALLEY Why bother with the pub when you can have a traditional 9 pin skittle alley in the office. With wooden alley base and sides, ball return and fullweight skittles. Comes with operator/scorer. more

 

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK Always guaranteed to raise a smile or two. It doesnt have to be in a

smoky bar, why not entertain fellow workers ... music while you work. Excellent equipment and accomplished singers to assist make it a real fun experience. more

 

MARBLES CHAMPIONSHIPS Fun indoors or outside with this traditional marbles rink, complete

with all equipment, score cards and of course marbles. With or without instructor/referee. Get good and compete in the World Championships in Crawley. more

 

GIANT GAMES

A giant chess board 10ft x 10ft and pieces 24" high. Can be used inside or outside... get lots of people involved. more

 

GET WITH THE BEAT Probably everybody has fancied being a drummer at some time. We offer a whole variety of drumming workshops in different musical styles, from modern, to jazz to african and japanese... plus Steel drums for that carribean feel..A great way to unwind and take out some of those pent up frustrations. more

 

ICE SKATING RINK What better way to celebrate the festive season than with an ice rink (real or synthetic). Can be installed indoors or outside in a variety of sizes, for staff and why not staff families one evening. Of course with skates and lots of potential add on props and extras to create a magical environment. more

 

INDOOR BOWLS As long as your floor is fairly flat you can participate in this fascinating sport. Competitve play or just for fun. Organiser/referee or just hire the equipment. more

 

FLAMENCO Chill out with this red hot dance. Ideal for women and men, with top class teachers, musicians and costumes ... you really will be able to step the light fantastic next time you go to Spain. more

 

LUNCHTIME STROLL Everybody works in an interesting area, if we only knew it. So take a lunchtime stroll with a local guide/historian and find out more about where you work, other than the location of the car park more

 

Roller Dance Roller Skating and Roller Blades are a great way to keep fit and have fun. We will install a temporary rink for you and supply all the equipment for days fitness fun. When youve got the knack then move onto roller dance. more

 

 

TAI CHI

Ancient Chinese art.. get the day off to the perfect start with this meditative, empowering and elegant form of keep fit. more

 

OFFICE EQUIPMENT JUGGLER

Having trouble juggling your wokload. Not to worry our man about the office will juggle it for you.... and teach you to do it as well. more

 

SNOW AT CHRISTMAS Guaranteed to raise a smile, snow drifting past the windows, covering

the paths and gardens, christmas lights twinkling and more ....we can guarantee that it snows at your pemesies on a certain day using the latest in snow effects and blowers more

 

GIANT WRESTLERS just for laughs.... if you think youre tough enough. Strap on the giant wrestlers and battle it out ... this is a great spectator sport. Make it an inter departmental or office chamionship. more

 

Darts Champs

Do it properly with boards, commentator, scoreboards,celebrity professional to challenge... dont forget the bar ! more

 

FILM SCREENINGS Missed it first time around ... never mind watch it again. Why not have a big screen screening of a funny, inspirational of feel good film at your very own works. .. it can even happen outdoors ‘drive in movie’ style. For staff or for staff, families and more. more

 

COMICS IN THE LIFT The benefits of a good joke and a laugh are immense, but you cant have comics interrupting people at their desks so we base ours ‘in the lifts’ (or the coffe machine or water cooler) where they can take advantage of those few wasted seconds ... and send staff off with fresh enthusiasm more

 

WHEEL OF MISFORTUNE

Spoof Game show with strange consequences based on the TV game Wheel of Fortune more

 

CHOCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

Don’t we just love it! .. But there is so much more to experience and learn and taste from our expert on the most sensuous of eating experiences. Make your own chocolates or just dip into the chocolate fountain more

 

MURDER MY LORD

Theres been a murder in the office, can your staff solve the crime .. Actors take the parts of visitors, suspects and the police.. but they need your help! Youll just love this murder mystery event more

 

ROBOT WARS

Battle it it with these tough machines more  

COFFEE MACHINE POETS

Where people gather there shall be words of thought’ Our poets base themselves at your Coffee machines where they can dispense comic

 

verses and wisdom to all that pass. more

FERRET RACING

Yes really ... Ferret Racing. ...you can even have fun bets and turn it into your own Ascot on the cheap. more

 

CARICATURIST

Still missing that image for your cubicle ? Professional 'doodling' from the Caricaturist gives you something to smile at every day. more

 

AMUSEMENT ARCADE

Who wants to go to the pier when you can have your own .. from 1 arcade game to dozens more

 

PICK A POCKET OR TWO

Walkabout entertainer with a difference. Great Fun, just how does he get my watch and Tie off more

 

POP IDOL TALENT Individuals or departments compete for your very own pop idol. Can be run from a simple karaoke ‘talent’ contest through to a full blown competition with ‘expert’ judges, staging, live music and spectacular prizes. more

 

Period Photographer

Anything but a contemporary and 'boring' photo. Get dressed up for a real original more

 

SING ? ... OF COURSE YOU CAN

Cant sing! most people can if only they get a bit of assistance. Its fun and theraputic even if you aren’t planning for the next Pop Idol. Relaxed singing coaches make it fun to bring out the voice you didn’t know you had, singles, small groups or whole departments welcome more

 

Lunchtime Theatre

 

Lunchtime street theatre in the office,reception or grounds. Contemporary, humerous, artistic or thought provoking. The choice is yours more

 

Uninvited guests Uninvited guests at your next meeting,reception,lunch or other event. 'Posh' people,drunks,yobs and just the 'befuddled'. All will create a sir and a laugh... during and afterwards more

 

GHOST

Really one for the ladies .. Our hunky potter will help them throw a pot just like in the film. more

 

FASHION SHOW Get better dressed with your very own catwalk show, Affordable,different or aspirational. Staged in your own building for your staff. more

 

Morris Dancers

Morris Dancers, Perfect entertainment for a lunchtime drink. more  

CHANGING ROOMS Fed up with your office the way it is ... get some help with a half day makeover designed to brighten up your workspace and create a better and more appealing working environment. more

 

Wine Tasting From beginner to expert, learn a little more about the wine youre drinking and enjoy it more as well as get better value for money. Wine tastings and talks are fun ! more

 

ANIMAL EXPERIENCE Always wanted to handle a 12ft snake, have a giant spider sit atop your head or take an alligator for a walk ! Meet some animal stars of TV and Film, handle them and learn about their lives. more

 

WALK THE TIGHTROPE

You may often do it in business, but how about for real. It can be a very empowering experience. Start off just a few inches off the ground and let our instructor helpyou progress to higher things.. Watch out for those wobbly bits though. more

 

CARNIVAL SIDESHOWS

Hoopla, Coconut Shy, Darts, Hook a Duck and more. Great fun with traditional fun prizes. Brighten up your day with this fun-time carnival fair. more

 

HANGOVER DAY

Got to work on New Years day .. or after any other big celebration ? a few little ideas and support to make it a nicer day more

 

CELEBRITY DOORMAN

Maybe not the real 'Del Boy' opening the door to your visitors and staff, but who can spot the difference .... or how about Patsy from 'Ab Fab' or The Governor of California ! more

 

HIGH TEA

Take a few minutes out of the day to relax with 'High Tea' the civilised way. Real tea,cakes and cucumber sandwiches add a touch of calm. more

 

 

Abstract

For some years now there has been growing enthusiasm amongst practitioners, managers and some academics about the value of promoting fun at work, resulting in a substantial body of managerial literature. As a result, the authors believe that fun at work deserves further research attention. In this paper the authors critically review the large body of practitioner and management literature promoting fun at work.

We find this literature dependent on a number of untheorised, untested assumptions about the nature of fun, its desirability and usefulness to business. Utilising Schein's organisational theory, alongside ethnographic research into fun at work, we highlight the complexity of implementing fun at work initiatives in practice. Drawing on organizational psychology we also make a short case study of the current use of fun at work as a job marketing tool by recruitment agencies in New Zealand.

Our discussion does make it possible to come to some conclusions about fun at work. However, we also pose a series of research questions that emerge from our discussion that will provide a framework for ongoing research.

Brown offers play consulting for tech and non-tech companies alike, including Whole Foods. The reason: Not only does having a playful atmosphere attract young talent, but experts say play at work can boost creativity and productivity in people of all ages.

“There is good evidence that if you allow employees to engage in something they want to do, (which) is playful, there are better outcomes in terms of productivity and motivation,” Brown said. 

Play can also lower your stress levels, boost your optimism, and increase your motivation to move up in a company and improve concentration and perseverance. There’s some evidence from animal studies that engaging in play opens up new neural connections in the brain, leading to greater creativity, he added. 

“All sorts of creative new connections are made when you’re playing that otherwise would never be made,” Brown added.

Playing also engages the creative side of your brain. When you’re fully engaged in play, you lose some of your psychological barriers and stop censoring or editing your thoughts. This allows creative ideas to flow more freely.

It’s not just the activity of playing that encourages creativity. When companies promote play, it engenders a more lighthearted atmosphere.  

Play ethic

Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO, a global design company, said in a TED talk that creating an office in which people have the security and comfort to play and not be judged allows them to take more creative risks. 

“We need to trust to play and to be creative,” Tim Brown said. The ping-pong table in the office reminds people they work in a permissive and playful environment. Putting a bunch of action figures or tactile puzzles in the center of a conference room table can automatically lighten the mood of the meetings.

But, you don’t need to have a foosball table or climbing wall to have a playful workplace. 

“I tend to think of play as a state of being,” Stuart Brown said. “Play is individual, and play patterns that work for one person may not work for another. Google has been insightful because they have a whole spectrum of play opportunities so employees can find the niche that works for them."

A state of play is when you’re doing something for fun, without a goal or purpose. For some people it might be joining in an organized game of beach volleyball, for others it may be reading a book or listening to music. 

“If you’re engaged in it deeply, that’s play,” he says.

If the play ethic is missing from your company, you can bring a sense of playfulness to your own work. Try to develop your imaginative side during the course of your work. “You can have playful fantasies about what you might want to do to your crummy boss,” Stuart Brown said. 

You can look at the people standing in line to buy lunch and make up stories about their lives. 

“Begin to have a sense of richness from your own internal thought process,” Stuart Brown said. Take mini- breaks, and think back to a time when you were more carefree, even to childhood; and visualize yourself doing something that was completely enjoyable. You may realize that something is missing from your life and re-introduce it. If you loved competitive sports, maybe you’d join a tennis league. If you loved photography, maybe you can bring your camera to work and take creative breaks."

Stuart Brown added that "if you’re good at playing on the weekend, that’s a start – but we tend to compartmentalize too much." 

Work hard to bring that playful spirit into the office on Monday morning.

Importance of fun in the work place

In a small business, your company’s greatest asset is your employees. By focusing on your employees — really focusing on them — you will find increased productivity, a more relaxed environment and a place where you truly enjoy being.

This doesn’t mean ignoring statistics, deadlines and your P&L. Instead it means shifting your focus away from those inanimate items and directing it at the people who make it happen.

For small businesses, getting the most of your employees can be the difference between success and failure. I have heard other business owners complain about the challenges that come with managing people. But what if it wasn’t challenging? What if it was fun?

A small team means we are constantly surrounded by the same people, from ownership on down. We perform tasks, create products or meet deadlines, day in and day out. And everyone is privy to the work done by others in the group. Because of this, creating relationships that transcend the work will lead to a more comfortable environment for everyone.

A fun place to work is not just for the employees of an organization, it’s for the people running the organization as well. This leads to lower stress levels in the office and at home for everyone,

and believe me, it’s worth the shift. The stress of running a business doesn’t go away, but it does change.

How we go about making our work environment more enjoyable is a team effort but it starts at the top with a focus on the employee. By creating a place the employee values, the employee will work hard to protect it. And a team spirit will rise that brings the employees together to do what’s right for the company.

We all know that happy employees produce better, but as a small business owner, you may find other benefits this employee focus will bring as well.

For example, how do you compete for employees with large companies who offer seemingly unmatchable benefits? A company that focuses on its employees holds a powerful card in this game. Just this past year, we were able to add three very talented individuals, who otherwise would have gone to much larger firms. We did this with the promise of an environment that offered them a work/life balance unlike any they had experienced previously. And then we delivered on it.

You don’t have to create this workplace on your own. Given the chance, your employees will help you design it. And every workplace is unique. The goal should be to cause your employees to interact with each other and you on a level that transcends work. It could be as simple as a football pool, an internal contest or sharing funny things from the internet — they do it anyway.

Here are a few things that have worked in our office:

We regularly dine together in small groups and occasionally as a complete team. This gives us a relaxed opportunity to talk about the various projects we are working on and cover any “stuff” that might be going on while we eat.

Another tactic we employ is called the week-ending meeting. These take place each Friday afternoon in our boardroom, or sometimes offsite with refreshments. During this meeting, each person shares their experiences from the week and we celebrate victories and discuss challenges that may be present.

We have helped employees with personal challenges they have had, and worked pro bono for charities that are important to our employees. We allow employees to bring dogs into the office, which led to us having an office dog: Aggie.

Recently we had a “great frozen food appetizer cookoff.” Each day, a different employee would bring and cook their favorite frozen appetizer in our toaster oven. It was great fun for the entire crew. Then we voted to see who the winner was.

Most importantly, we listen to our staff and work to balance the daily challenges with fun, camaraderie and a common goal of making our office a place we all enjoy being in. Every business is different, but with a little imagination this formula can work for you and your team.

Why is fun at work is so important?

Here are the Top 6 Reasons I hear about why people believe that their work environment could never be fun or engaging:

1. Our work is very serious

2. There are too many overly serious people who work here

3. The management won’t allow us to have fun

4. We have too much work to do, there is no time for fun

5. If people had fun all hell would break loose

6. The public or customers would think we are not doing our jobs properly

Yet, here are the Top 7 Benefits I hear about why having fun at work is so crucial these days:

1. It is a low cost, easy way to build morale.

2. It enhances communication and builds social bonds that help people through the tough times.

3. It makes people want to perform well at work and be a contributing member of their team.

4. It re-vitalizes people so they are healthier and have more energy.

5. It opens up creative thinking which helps people be more resourceful with problems.

6. It helps staff build rapport amongst themselves and with clients and customers.

7. It creates a positive atmosphere that makes customers more likely to want to do business with you.