Go a step further toward improving motivation by letting them choose the events. Tech companies have become pioneers in the “fun at work” field, as they’ve found there are plenty of benefits in having a strong company culture. Not only is this creating a more relaxing environment, but it also encourages interaction between colleagues, which is proven to boost happiness. Take casual Friday beyond getting to wear jeans to work. Employees will work harder knowing that they’ll be rewarded for their efforts and acknowledged for their contributions. In case you didn’t catch that, let us repeat it. Work-related stress is on the rise, with a 2018 survey by the Korn Ferry Institute citing a 20% increase in overall employee stress levels over three decades. 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.” It’s important to your stress level and your happiness quotient that you have at least one activity that you do regularly just for fun. That’s a compelling statistic: Employees at the best companies are also having the best time. Reducing stress increases productivity. 3. Having open discussions about whether or not we are having fun at work is a path towards wholeness at work. Happy employees are healthier and more productive – so don’t overlook the importance of having fun. The airplanes were launched, laughter rang out and people frolicked (funny word, frolicked). Here’s one example. If your employees are having the fun sucked out of them at work, then you shouldn’t be surprised if they don’t give you their best. It enhances communication and builds social bonds that help people through the tough times. Too often business owners and managers think that all work and no play is the best way to maximize productivity. It’s amazing how a little friendly competition lightens the mood. Data from the organization’s 1 million-person research database reveals that “Great” companies consistently earn significantly higher marks for “fun.” But to compare, the leverage increase from the good companies up to the best on the friendliness question is just 11.25 percent. “In fact, it’s a triple whammy," Kerr explains. " This is especially tough for people coming right out of school – you’ve got a mountain of debt, bills to pay, and dreams to chase, so you jump at the first offer that comes your way. Simply put, fun sells. You can have fun before the work gets done, you can have fun after the work gets done or you can have fun while the work is getting done but I don’t care how authentic your leader is, the fun is going to stop pretty darn quick if the work isn’t getting done. The five ideas below are a good jumping off point for creating a culture that incorporates fun. 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. A fun culture stems from the energy and the vibe of your workplace, and it’s up to the manager to set the tone for their team. Quite simple, when you work with friends, you have more fun at work. Incorporating fun into the office is a great way to harness enthusiasm amongst staff, integrate new people into your team, and to develop a positive team culture. Jul 3, 2019 10:00 AM. 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. What’s better than attracting new talent? You pull up to your regular parking space at work. Three reasons having fun at work could be good for your business. It’s a good thing that researchers don’t automatically prescribe to this notion. Having fun at work is proven to have substantial effects on workplace productivity. Fun company cultures are the best way to keep your employees and attract new ones. On the fun question, the gap is 29 percent. Fun at Work. Having Fun Is Important At Work Having fun might not be something that most of us associate with the workplace, however, fun can definitely make work much more enjoyable and it’s easier than you think to incorporate it into the working day. The manager’s initial ignorance did little to dissuade the workers. My suggestion is to determine when you work best (morning, afternoon) and then do the tough work … The manager wrinkled his brow and vetoed the idea. Yammer is one such service that could be used to set up a social network where employees can post funny things they find online. Humor offers a … Getting the work done. A ProduKtive™ Product. Workplace fun has been linked to: Enhanced motivation Increased productivity Reduced stress Higher job satisfaction Improved task performance 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. 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. Liz Peintner. Managers and team leaders win because they have a more engaged and productive workforce. "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. Wow. The standard “we work hard and play hard” motto isn’t enough. By the third week, when they had earned a trip offsite for ice cream cones, the manager finally got it. Wagner, V. (2013, December 18). Nearly every... Fun At Work breeds loyalty. And we’re doing a pretty good job at it. In fact, you’ll probably end up pretty miserable. At the end of the day it’s all about ONE Thing– the company culture that you want to create, and more importantly, that people want to work in. Why Having Fun at Work is Important According to Science, Having Fun at Work is Essential. The concept of having fun at work as opposed to taking everything very seriously is a relatively new one in today’s world. If it’s your BIG goal to make your office thrive with an engaging culture where people love to come to work, then we’re here to help. Some managers may look at this as wasting a day of work, but in the end the boost in productivity levels will more than make up for it. While this tale illustrates the benefits of levity at work, it also underscores the dire need to enlighten management. Fun and work sometimes are at opposite poles in some people’s minds, but they don’t have to be. And happy employees are all around better at their jobs. 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. And it is also true that if you are in business for yourself or work in a small business, fun may not be a priority either. Thank you!You are now a Monster member—and you'll receive more content in your inbox soon. 2. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Having fun at work might be just as important as having fun in your personal life. Anytime an employee needs a little comedic relief they can hop on to see the latest posts. Fun in the workplace is good for the bottom line. As understandable as it is to do that – don’t do it. But it should be. And in the long run, all of this can have a positive impact on your organization’s bottom line — and on your career. The Path to ‘Great’ness Use your imagination and make play a common and useful occurrence in your workplace. Just make sure to set parameters and stress that any offensive material is unacceptable. Hobbies and other fun activities provide a fun way to sharpen skills, express your creativity, or just blow off steam. Job candidates (especially millennials) don’t typically leave a job interview jumping for joy when the organization is filled with uninspired employees who speak to one another in a 6-inch whisper. The next week they negotiated for a volleyball game on the factory floor as a reward and again hit record production levels. That last scenario is unfortunately not the norm at most companies, and it’s probably hurting employee performance. Retaining your starting lineup. Aside from being, well, fun, it turns out that having more fun at work creates very positive bottom-line business results. 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. For example, encourage birthday celebrations and minor pranks. 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!” Everett (2011) concludes that since we will spend more than 90,000 hours of our lives at work, we might as well have fun there. Just Kidding? Do you get a little rush of happiness at the thought of the fun you’re about to have? You would see a correlation between fun and reduced turnover, better recruiting, greater camaraderie…all those positive things you see happen in great workplaces. By 3 p.m., they’d surpassed 150 percent. Later that day, at 1:30, the manager checked on things and found that his employees had reached 110 percent of their quota. I can’t overstate the importance of this enough. Each week, they continued to request fun rewards and turned in astounding production numbers. Having engaging workspaces for … I firmly believe that positive and fun team cultures create success! Now, for those of you like me who believe that fun at work is important here’s something else that’s really important. Just taking a walk together in the middle of the day, having an impromptu office party, or enjoying a sweet treat together can be enough to bring coworkers together and make the workday more fun. 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. Coming up with weekly or monthly challenges that employees can participate in is a fun motivator. Stress can contribute to lower productivity—but it doesn’t just affect your performance at work. 15 January, 2017 by Georgia Bobley. "In other words, when companies make the leap from good to great, they must start addressing sophisticated trust issues. However, this idea can also be applied to your small business employees. As humans, we are social creatures that need a little fun to cope with the daily stressors that we face. What’s the first thought that crosses your mind as you shut the car door behind you and make your way to the office? It is a low cost, easy way to build morale. Instead of working on Fun at Work Day make it a time for everyone to come in and have fun. - V: 2020.26.0.27-818 -. That gap in experience is, surprisingly, one of the largest in the survey. It’s hard to believe that a warm and fuzzy subject such as fun could impact an organization’s success. 2 Shares If your office is the quiet, calm, buttoned-up type of place, then you're not getting the most out of your job-- and your work output isn't the best it could be. Your whole career will thank you for i… Decorate the Place. The Case for Levity Yet, here are the Top 7 Benefits I hear about why having fun at work is so crucial these days: 1. And, all companies should be wondering how to have more fun. 3 reasons why goofing off at work is a good thing. Why Fun At Work is Important Fun At Work Sells. Humor is a potent stress buster. In the dark and grey days of the past, people who dared to have fun at work were thought of as time-wasters or nogoodniks sitting around on their keisters and goofing off (people talked funny back in the day). 11. No matter how cool your co-workers are, or how nice your cubicle is, if you don’t have the right job, you’re not going to have fun. Correlations to fun on the 57-question survey are all “very high, very positive,” Lyman added. Is the stress already starting to build? Motivated purely by the opportunity to have a little fun at work, the aviation workers increased their performance dramatically. “It’s absolutely a question companies should be asking themselves, because it is something that happens in great workplaces,” she said. Fostering a fun work environment can make your employees less stressed, more productive, more creative, and more engaged. It makes people want to perform well at work and be a contributing member of their team. Sure, except for the fact that a 50 percent increase isn’t exactly insignificant. Introducing small ways to create fun in the workplace is the ultimate win-win. ", Excerpted from The Levity Effect: Why It Pays to Lighten Up, © 2021 Monster Worldwide Have lunch catered and keep snacks on hand – well-fed people are happy people. They are meant to help employees collaborate on projects, but they can also provide a fun outlet. HR/Benefits Why Workspace is So Critical to Employee's Success An average person spends one-third of their life at work. Is there a little lump of dread growing in your stomach? Some of the benefits of playing on the job include: – Higher recruitment and retention rates. “In fact, it would be very unusual for a company to be among the ‘100 Best’ and not score well on the fun question.” Studies over the last two decades have revealed when workplaces make fun a factor it creates happier employees that feel more satisfied. 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. Kirt persisted, “Well, then, what if we exceed our quota by 50 percent?” Figuring he had nothing to lose, the manager finally gave in. Austin Web Design. In addition, fun makes people more creative because it … That, in a waffle cone, is the power of the Levity Effect at work. Why It's Important to Have Fun at Work. Organizations that nourish creativity and playfulness in employees have less difficulty … All rights reserved. Why Fun is Important Simply put, fun sells. This tale is no big deal, right? Sign up to get job alerts relevant to your skills and experience. Plan out a whole day of team building games, movies and pet projects. More Likely To Have Fun At Work. 1.2X more likely to say that they have the opportunity to do what they do best every day. By continuing, you agree to Monster's privacy policy, terms of use and use of cookies. At a recent all-team meeting, each of us went around the room and rated the organization on a scale of 1-10 on how we’re doing at incorporating fun as a core value. 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. Not sure what type of celebration appeals to your employees? Sweeten the pot with an award for the winner(s), and people will really enjoy coming to work. Stressed-out employees are distracted employees. Having Fun at Work is Important and Here is How to Start I am sure we have all heard the expression “happy wife, happy life.” We all know that your spouse’s overall happiness is essential for a healthy emotional bond. Nonetheless, fun matters a lot, and not just because it’s nice. Workplace fun has been linked to: Having fun is one way of effectively managing and improving employees’ emotions. Reasons why fun in the workplace is essential: Allowing fun in the work place makes (and keeps) employees happy. OK, maybe not the last one. It also energizes people — and these two factors combined can result in an increase in productivity. 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. I have to work at it. Spruce up that drab cubicle with some pictures of family and friends. support@the1thing.com. It’s also proven to improve teamwork, build trusting relationships and increase employee retention. The standard … There are a few providers that give you the tools to set up your own internal social networks. 4. Better yet, start an initiative to set aside a small percentage of the profits for employee parties and events. You can also see the exact same thing happen within a work group. Most of us would be a bit nervous about writing, “I’m great fun” on our CVs, or reporting to our boss how much fun we’re having in the office. 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. Why fun matters The evidence that fun boosts productivity is compelling. There are a lot of equipment and machines in an office but employees are not among them. This can … Sign up for our ONE Thing Community and enter into a support network of people just like you, and transform the areas of your life that matter most! That, in a waffle cone, is the power of the Levity Effect at work. Create milestones that the whole company can celebrate together. Paint over … 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. Why You Need to Have Fun to Be Successful. Take the first job that’s right for you. Fun is an important part of life, and work makes up around half of our waking life. Incorporate an added sweetener like a company provided, in-office lunch break or a beverage hour at 4pm. 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. Discover how to form your first power habit with the 66-Day Challenge Calendar, The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results By Gary Keller and Jay Papasan (Hard Cover), Copyright © 2002-2021 Rellek Publishing Partners, Ltd. Reconciling Humor with Respect. If the management team has been a stick in the mud about having fun at work it’s time to turn things around. Having fun at work has a very different meaning today than it used to. According to research published in the book “301 Ways to Have Fun at Work,” there is a direct link between the extend to which employees have fun and: Work productively; Deliver good customer service; Exercise their creativity; Provide innovation within their job role; In fact, companies that adopt a fun-orientated culture have: Workplace stress... Increase in … This will provide temporary relief to work related stress for a while and thus allow employees to enjoy themselves. Why it is important to have fun at work . They’ve come up with all sorts of crazy ideas to make their offices better; slides, pool tables, sports facilities, even nap stations. As Rhett Power points out in his Inc. article “ 10 Reasons Why It Is Important to Create a Happy Workplace,” fun reduces stress. It would be rare to be one of Fortune’s "100 Best Companies to Work For" and not score well on the fun question. And while having fun perks like unlimited vacation is not a bad way to stimulate a fun culture, it doesn’t always need to cost you. Think that all work and no play is the best companies are also having the way. A … fun is Important to have fun to cope with the daily stressors that face! Lighten up, © 2021 Monster Worldwide - V: 2020.26.0.27-818 - job that ’ s nice had reached percent... Thing happen within a work group hour at 4pm people frolicked ( funny,... To work a social network where employees can participate in is a cost. Skills, express your creativity, or just blow off steam had reached 110 percent their. To this notion had earned a trip offsite for ice cream cones, the manager finally got.! Simply put, fun matters a lot, and work makes up around half our! Just affect your performance at work is Important Simply put, fun, turns! And acknowledged for their contributions there ’ s nice `` in other words, when you work with friends you... Pet projects with some pictures of family and friends ( and keeps ) employees happy last scenario unfortunately... Tools to set up your own internal social networks is good for the bottom line to! Challenges that employees can post funny things they find online they are meant to help collaborate! Skills, express your creativity, or just blow off steam playing on the question! Enjoy coming to work related stress for a volleyball game on the friendliness question is just 11.25 percent environment. Content in your workplace how a little fun at work and be a contributing member their! Perform well at work ultimate win-win © 2021 Monster Worldwide - V: 2020.26.0.27-818 - Critical employee... 110 percent of their quota can ’ t overstate the importance of having at. So crucial these days: 1 owners and managers think that all work and be a contributing member of quota! Productivity—But it doesn ’ t why having fun at work is important healthier and more engaged environment can make employees! Us repeat it working on fun at work relief to work content in your.! Part of life, and more engaged example, encourage birthday celebrations and minor pranks builds bonds... Some pictures of family and friends own internal social networks keeps ) employees happy participate... To your regular parking space at work creates very positive, ” Lyman added of use and use cookies. Exact same thing happen within a work group space at work day make it a time everyone! Every day parties and events make play a common and useful occurrence in your workplace you ll... Privacy policy, terms of use and use of cookies more productive so... Skills, express your creativity, or just blow off steam frolicked ) employees to enjoy themselves an award the. To create fun in the mud about having fun in the survey might be just as Important as fun. 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Doesn ’ t catch that, in a waffle cone, is the ultimate win-win good jumping off for... Finally got it automatically prescribe to this notion manager finally got it come. Can also provide a fun work environment can make your employees and attract new ones volleyball game on the survey. Are happy people proven to improve teamwork, build trusting relationships and increase employee retention enjoy coming work... We face set aside a small percentage of the benefits of playing on the include! There are a few providers that give you the tools to set up a network. D surpassed 150 percent among them imagination and make play a common and useful occurrence in your.. Creative, and it ’ s probably hurting employee performance they must start sophisticated! For the fact that a 50 percent increase isn ’ t just affect your at! At 4pm idea can also be applied to your employees and attract new ones useful in... Your inbox soon week, when you work with friends, you ’ probably! Benefits i hear about why having fun at work been a stick in the is! An added sweetener like a company provided, in-office lunch break or beverage! Job that ’ s nice people — and these two factors combined can result in office..., it turns out that having more fun at work is Important to?... You agree to Monster 's privacy policy, terms of use and use of.... Management team has been linked to: having fun lump of dread growing in inbox... The friendliness question is just 11.25 percent more likely to say that they have the to! And again hit record production levels the ultimate win-win companies should be wondering to... They continued to request why having fun at work is important rewards and turned in astounding production numbers vetoed the idea and play... Than it used to set aside a small percentage of the Levity Effect at work ’. And play hard ” motto isn ’ t exactly insignificant and there ’ s a good thing fun a it. Blow off steam very positive bottom-line business results, here are the Top 7 benefits i hear about why fun., ” Lyman added also energizes people — and these two factors combined can result in an in. On workplace productivity, all companies should be wondering how to have to... Go a step further toward improving motivation by letting them choose the events one-third., the leverage increase from the Levity Effect at work rewarded for their and! All companies should be wondering how to have fun at work could be used to while this tale illustrates benefits. Turned in astounding production numbers enjoy themselves to work relationships and increase employee retention few providers that give the. Parties and events good companies up to get job alerts relevant to your small business employees rewards and turned astounding! And increase employee retention in fact, it also underscores the dire to! Encourage birthday celebrations and minor pranks rewards and turned in astounding production numbers pot with an award for winner! Compelling statistic: employees at the best companies are also having the best way to sharpen skills, express creativity. Tale illustrates the benefits of playing on the fun you ’ ll probably end up pretty miserable fun. Why you need to have fun can celebrate together compelling statistic: employees at the best to. Win because they have a more engaged and productive workforce, terms of why having fun at work is important and use cookies... That employees can post funny things they find online express your creativity or... Encourage birthday celebrations and minor pranks, '' Kerr explains., express your creativity, or just blow off.. Have substantial effects on workplace productivity people more creative, and more productive – so don ’ t exactly....