Do you enjoy going to work every day?
If you answered no, you’re definitely not alone.
In fact, a recent study found that only a mere 13% of employees worldwide are actively engaged in their jobs.
The rest either hate their job, are indifferent or are simply there for the paycheck.
This is a huge problem, as it can lead to decreased productivity, business issues and eventually staff turnover.
So, why exactly is it that so many people hate their jobs?
One of the main reasons is that work is often seen as a place where fun is not allowed.
But, we believe that a workplace with a fun, positive environment should be your first priority.
When it comes to team building and leading motivated, engaged employees, this is key.
In this blog post, we will discuss why fun at work should be your first priority!
The benefits of having fun at work
Studies have repeatedly shown that a fun work environment can lead to:
- Increased productivity
- Better employee motivation
- Higher levels of creativity
- Better job satisfaction
- Higher self esteem
- Better leadership skills
- Team members that stay motivated
- Increased staff retention
- All of these can ultimately lead to happy employees.
This intrinsic motivation helps employees feel valued and appreciated for their contribution, which is essential for any business and its overall growth.
So, if you’re not making fun a priority at your workplace, now is the time to start.
Tips for implementing fun at work into your company culture
There are a few simple things you can do to infuse some fun at work;
Inspire Creativity with Music
Listening to music while performing tasks can help reduce stress levels and promote a more positive attitude.
But music tastes vary and there’s always that one team member that would be happy playing thrash metal if an office allowed speakers.
A simple solution to this is to provide your team with headphones and a Spotify subscription as part of their employee benefits.
Decorate the Office Each Season
If you want to make your workplace a little more fun, consider sprucing it up by decorating for each holiday or season.
This can be as simple as putting up some fun decorations or using festive colours.
Encourage staff to have a fun work area or station
This can be done in teams.
For example, the IT department might choose a specific overarching theme and create the look of their office space together.
And alternatively, some team members may stay more motivated by adding touches of home.
These include pictures of loved ones, plants and decor.
Plan Theme Days
Theme days are a fun way to add a little bit of excitement and play to the work week.
They can also be a way for employees to show their creative side.
Having dress-up days or special holiday theme days can inspire leaders and team members alike.
This could be anything from wearing fun and crazy socks to dressing up in costumes or even having a pyjama day!
The important thing is that employees feel like they can express themselves and have fun while doing it.
Create a weekly challenge
For example, you can supply your team members with masking tape, pins, fun coloured paper and other supplies and get them to decorate a bulletin board, every Monday.
Give them a time limit and then have each team member in the office vote on their favorite.
You can keep a running tally over a few months or so and then award the winner a fabulous prize. (Protip: everyone loves an Amazon Gift Card for this)
This type of fun exercise also encourages team building and team bonding because people tend to jump in and help.
These events inspire, support and encourage your team to share ideas with each other, collaboration style.
Amping up coffee and lunch breaks with incentives
Most people would agree that coffee and lunch breaks are a necessary part of the work day.
This is because it’s statistically proven that periodic breaks from work “recharge” the mind and provide well-needed relaxation in the day.
We believe this time should be untouched by employers and serve to increase employee motivation only.
However, it’s possible to improve the break experience for your team members by incentivizing the experience.
Pay for your team members coffee break
Paying for your team members’ coffee break is a fun way to show your appreciation.
We’re not talking about break room coffee here, we’re talking about buying them a drink in a local coffee shop.
If you happen to be in Vancouver, BC (where we’re located) then the Siply Gift card is basically a Starbucks Gift Card, only for independent coffee shops.
Pay for your team members’ lunch
Paying for your team members’ lunch is a higher value way to show your appreciation for their work.
This can be a small token gift card, all the way to taking your team member out for a sit down meal.
The important part to remember here is that it’s not about the company, it’s about the employee recharging.
Coordinate fun at work team building activities and regular social events
Organizing activities is a great way to show your employees that you care about their happiness and job satisfaction. It’s also a great way bring people together for one ultimate goal; fun!
Team building activities are a great way to break up the day-to-day and have some fun with your coworkers.
Not only do team building activities help reduce stress levels, but they also improve communication and collaboration skills.
Implementing regular social events gives team members something to look forward to.
It’s important to create a social atmosphere where employees can relax and have fun without the pressures of work-related talk or tasks.
Virtual Coffee Tastings
Coffee Tastings are a fun and unique way for the whole team to get to know each other better and stay connected.
They allow teams from different departments (or even different cities) to come together and they also imply a sense of community and company values within an organization.
One of the fun things about coffee is that there are so many ways to learn about it and taste it.
There’s something for everyone, whether you’re a beginner or an expert.
Coffee tastings offer the opportunity to explore different varieties and brewing methods, and they’re a great opportunity to socialize with other coffee lovers.
Click here to get more information on how to book a virtual coffee tasting event.
Virtual Happy Hour
Research indicates that happy hour team building activities with coworkers can lead to a number of positive outcomes.
This includes improved communication and collaboration within the team, and increased trust and camaraderie among team members.
Co workers develop stronger working relationships and enhanced socialization outside of work.
It’s a fun way to get to know your colleagues better and build relationships that can ultimately translate into increased productivity in the workplace.
Protip – Friday afternoon has a much different vibe than Thursday. Pick your days wisely here!
Click here to get more information on how to book a virtual Happy Hour.
Encourage Fun at Work with a Virtual Lock Picking Event
Lock picking is the art of unlocking a lock without the key.
It’s a fun and challenging activity that can be done with coworkers over a virtual platform like Zoom.
This is a great team building activity because it requires communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
Best of all, it’s really fun to learn!
In our experience, this kind of team work is huge for employee motivation.
This is because attendees learn new skills and feel empowered heading into their next tasks.
Click here to get more information on hosting a virtual lock picking event.
In Conclusion…
We hope this blog post has inspired you to make fun a priority at your workplace!
Remember, when employees are happy, they are more productive, creative and likely to stay with the company for longer.
So, what are you waiting for?
Start making work fun today!
We’re masters of making the workplace fun. If you’d like talk to us about any of our virtual events, please reach out to us using the form below.