PART ONE: FUN IN THE OFFICE? HOW DOES THAT WORK?
For many, the traditional office is not a place you associate with the words “fun” or “relaxation” – the office is a place where you go to get things done, nose to the grindstone, deadlines and quotas firmly in mind. If anything, fun and relaxation are things you look for outside the office, to help you destress after a long day’s hard work. Unfortunately, work-related stress is all too common. Over time, people come to associate the workplace with the stressful situations, which in turn negatively impacts productivity and morale. AN UNPRODUCTIVE ENVIRONMENT Aside from the physical and emotional problems created by work-related stress, studies have shown that stress in the workplace also inhibits imagination and creativity, as well as reduces employee retention rates. Despite this, few organizations have programs in place to reduce work-related stress. By ignoring a stressful work environment, both employees and employer suffer: the employees in terms of personal and professional well-being, and the company in terms of lost profits and productivity.
PART ONE: FUN IN THE OFFICE? HOW DOES THAT WORK?
AN UNORTHODOX SOLUTION Increasingly, many companies are finding that moving away from the traditional office environment and encouraging fun and play at work lends itself to the creation of an environment that is conducive to creativity, collaboration, and teamwork. While it’s not uncommon to find office space set aside for recreational activities, these areas typically see use only when the employees are on break. Such spaces are seen as just someplace to congregate, much like the proverbial water cooler, or as a place where employees can use their break to blow off steam.
Companies which rely heavily on creativity and collaboration, however, are finding that allowing employees free access to these areas during normal work hours can yield surprising results. By stepping away from the traditional “work” mindset and allowing their employees to shift into a more playful state of mind, the employees are able to think out of the box and find solutions where they may have been stuck or stumped before. Part II further explores the advantages of encouraging fun and play in the workplace.
PART TWO: HAVE FUN AT WORK: LET YOUR INNER CHILD OUT TO PLAY
A common barrier to creativity at work is the notion that things have to be done a certain way – especially if that’s how employees were trained. We’re so used to doing things in just such a way that we don’t even think to ask, “why do I have to do it this way?”“is this the best way to do this?” or, most importantly, “why do I have to do this at all?” As children, lacking preconceived notions about how things are supposed to be and how things are properly done, unfettered by the seriousness of everyday adult life, we let our imaginations run wild. The idea behind encouraging a more playful work environment is to encourage people to be that free with their thoughts and imagination again, and to associate the office with a place where, fun, exciting, and innovative things happen. A SENSE OF BELONGING Aside from encouraging employee creativity and productivity, one effect of creating a fun work environment is an increase in positive behavior, such as voluntarily helping colleagues and feeling pride for the company. Instead of feeling like just another cog in the machine, employees instead come to feel as if they’re part of a team. Not only that, but that they are a valued member of the team. By fostering a friendlier, more open environment, people are more open to letting their creativity flow and actively collaborating with coworkers.
PART TWO: HAVE FUN AT WORK: LET YOUR INNER CHILD OUT TO PLAY
IDEATION AND RETENTION Fostering fun at the workplace also lends itself to learning, as well as retention of information. Audience participation and enthusiasm are a lot easier to evoke and maintain. Because employees’ minds are more stimulated, as opposed to the dull sameness of the traditional staid work environment, presentations become more than just boring periods of absorbing endless data.
Learning and training are also boosted. Adult learning relies more on personal involvement in the learning process, and much less on rote information dump. Having fun at work motivates people to work harder, and by creating an environment that encourages employee participation, you help facilitate your employees’ understanding and retention of new concepts and procedures. So how, exactly, do you create an environment that’s conducive to having fun? More in Part III.
PART THREE: SETTING UP THE PLAYGROUND
It’s easy to say that all you need to do is encourage your employees to have fun at work, but if you’re stuck doing things the same way, then you’re probably wondering what it is you need to change to create the environment you want. There are general principles to follow. You’ll need to study and adapt these principles to your particular company’s goals and culture. Employee feedback is a must – remember, you’re doing this to get more out of your employees. If you want to create a fun work environment, it should recognize what your employees find fun, not necessarily what you think would be fun.
BREAK DOWN BARRIERS Self-expression and teamwork can be stymied by the geography of the traditional office, with personal work spaces closed off. To develop collaboration, you need to encourage mingling and interaction. This involves making your work area more open, you need to make sure your employees are free to associate with others without physical barriers.
PART THREE: SETTING UP THE PLAYGROUND
TURN WORK INTO A GAME If you want to encourage fun and play at work, then you also need to keep in mind that work doesn’t have to be boring. Even just subtly making work feel less like monotonous and more like a game can go a long way toward fostering a more collaborative and productive environment. This can involve changing the process, taking the work out of the office to somewhere less cluttered or crowded, or any of a number of similar approaches. No job is too big or too difficult if you can apply your creativity and have fun while doing the work.
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