Fun. Make sure your information infrastructure is compliant and safe. Everyone will leave with a smile on their faces. This can often help you see the problem in a new light and think up fresh, creative s… Try risk free for 60 days. Here's some ideas of team building inexpensive and fun team building activities that your team will love. Author, Business Etiquette Expert and Founder of The Protocol School of Palm Beach. Six reasons why fun in the office is the future of work - CIPHR. More than a decade’s worth of research by the Great Place to Work Institute resulted in a 1-million person research database and its results reveal overwhelming evidence that says, “Great” companies consistently earn significantly higher marks for “fun.”. The office culture and ambience also has a positive effect. A U.K. study of 700 participants by the Social Market Foundation and the University of Warwick’s Centre for Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy showed that productivity increased by an average of 12 percent and as high as 20 percent after viewing a comedy clip and enjoying snacks and drinks. Fun is an important part of life, and work makes up around half of our waking life. The facts about having fun at work. 1. ... and you'll definitely reap the untold benefits that will naturally follow. In “The Levity Effect: Why it Pays to Lighten Up”, bestselling author Adrian Gostick and humorist Scott Christopher reveal how humor in the workplace has the following benefits: It helps build camaraderie. Here's What's Missing. Hire a photographer or use the best photographer on staff to take group and individual shots. Taking a pause for play does a lot more than take your mind off the problem. Here are five ways to have more fun at work. Incorporate humorous videos into your PowerPoint presentations. Use your imagination and make play a common and useful occurrence in your workplace. In the workplace, play is a tool smart entrepreneurs use to bring out the best in people and strengthen relationships between employees. Providing services for all your IT-related concerns to aid in your business operation. Humor reduces stress. Authors Dave Hemseth and Leslie Yerkes of 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work state that, “Organizations that integrate fun into work have lower levels … Exercise and physical activity are great ways to feel better, boost your health and have fun. Workplace fun has been linked to: Enhanced motivation; Increased productivity; Reduced stress; Higher job satisfaction; Improved task performance; Having fun is one way of effectively managing and improving employees’ emotions. When the project youre working on hits a serious glitch, take some time out to play and have a few laughs. Having a fun working environment builds trusts, opens up, encourages and increases communication and enhances creativity and innovative ideas. Fun at work makes it easier for employees to function on the job. However, research shows that this dismal view of work is completely wrong. Keller Williams uses a cornhole (beanbag toss) game to determine who gets to use the single dedicated parking space each month, and Google offers volleyball courts, a heated swimming pool and an indoor slide at its company headquarters. Then post them to your company Facebook page, Instagram or your company blog or website. Create your business plan in half the time with twice the impact using Entrepreneur's BIZ PLANNING PLUS powered by LivePlan. Establish a series of contests for staff members trying to get in shape. It shows appreciation for the time and effort employees give to the organization. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends: At least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. Our work culture and the environment have always advocated discipline, efficiency and productivity in the workplace, and it can be hard to believe that having fun at work can contribute to an organization’s advocacies. Related: Not Having a Phenomenal Entrepreneurial Journey? Neutralize the risks of ever-changing technologies in the business environment. Levity from 9 to 5 not only benefits workers, but it’s great for the bottom line. Here's What's Missing. By Nat Measley. Related: You Don't Have to be Picture-Perfect to Succeed on Instagram. Studies reveal that making a workplace fun may be an inexpensive, profitable mechanism of engagement that correlates directly with increasing employee job satisfaction, cultivating morale, and improving quality of customer service. Eighty-one percent of employees that describe their company “great” said they are working in a “fun” environment, according to the Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. Take off early one day and invite your coworkers out to a local restaurant or bar for happy hour. To have fun or not to have fun? The benefits of having a fun working environment is contagious – it’s like creating ripples in the water; its effects are felt even by customers. When employees take time out to play, it lessens the stress of work, which leads to less sickness, a more positive attitude and more energized work environment. An article by researcher Claire Petelczyc and colleagues explores the existing science of play at work and future directions for its study. As you work to incorporate journaling into your life, remember the elephant is best eaten one bite at a time. Having fun at work is proven to have substantial effects on workplace productivity. Taking the time to replenish yourself through play is one of the best ways you can help your career. You cannot expect your employees to provide service with a smile if you don’t give them something to smile about.”. Other research shows that play can decrease absenteeism, stress, and health care costs. The best example for this benefit is Google. When you play, you engage the creative side of your brain and silence your inner editor, that psychological barrier that censors your thoughts and ideas. And who doesn’t love to have fun? Not Having a Phenomenal Entrepreneurial Journey? Learn how Database Management can help. 3. […] Studies reveal that making a workplace fun may be an inexpensive, profitable mechanism of engagement that correlates directly with increasing employee job satisfaction, cultivating morale, and improving quality of customer service. In short, happy employees serve happily leading to happier customers who in turn will return more frequently, positively impacting the whole business. We provide you with everything you need to be productive and happy on and off the clock.” Among the top ten self-ascribed reasons to work at Google, number four on the list states that “work and play are not mutually exclusive: it is possible to code and pass the puck at the same time”. Find out how. 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. Celebrate success and victory as the celebration of hard work will promote a sense of cohesiveness and friendliness within your team. When you’re having fun, it’s hard to keep that natural grin off your face—and for good reason. Bonding Fun breeds creativity and new ideas. By having a stress-free and enjoyable environment at your workplace, you can easily improve the … Most of us have lost our spontaneity. Get heaping discounts to books you love delivered straight to your inbox. Image credit: Fun breaks down entrenched organizational hierarchies Despite the rise of “ multi-teaming,” most employees still only know a fraction of their overall office or company. Begin writing perhaps three days a week, first thing in the morning or before sleeping. When a supervisor laughs with his subordinates, he comes off as approachable, personable and a “human being”. Matt Weinstein says it best, “if you want your company to provide excellent customer service, you first have to provide that same kind of attention and appreciation to your internal customers—your own employees. Is your business prepared for an IT disaster? Here are just a few of the benefits of having fun at work: Enhanced creativity – People often get some of their most innovative ideas while they’re playing around and letting their minds wander. The good news is that there are a lot of benefits for bringing play into work. Maximize your investment on network architecture and infrastructure. 5 Personality 'Flaws' That Are Entrepreneurial Gold, You Don't Have to be Picture-Perfect to Succeed on Instagram. Having a little fun at work can make the working environment stress-free. Plus, enjoy a FREE 1-year. Find out how. Participants can then track key metrics —number of steps taken, floors climbed, distance traveled, calories burned -- on their wearable devices. There’s no reason you can’t take the happy outside of the office. Working as a team adds fun to the workplace. We’ll feature a different book each week and share exclusive deals you won’t find anywhere else. Companies including Dropbox offer recreational equipment including ping-pong tables and a music studio as perks, while Eventbrite takes its employees on team outings to the trampoline park. The Great Place to Work Institute asks tens of thousands of employees each year to rate their experience of workplace factors. Laughter, humor and play even out the playing field, regardless of positions in the company. “In one study of more than 2,500 employees, 81 percent said they believe a fun working environment would make them more productive.”1 2. Learn how you can plan for it. Learn more. July 17, 2008. Today we celebrate National Fun at Work Day. Activities, whether formal or informal, done and designed to encourage fun in the workplace is an inexpensive way to reap the following benefits: Fun workplaces cultivate an environment that enhances learning, productivity and creativity while reducing employee burnout and absenteeism. Three reasons having fun at work could be good for your business. Working as a team is also very inspiring. For most organizations human capital is the largest asset and the single largest expense. And when we say “fun,” we talk about it as an outgrowth of a positive workplace culture and environment. Learn how IT Seciry and Audit can help. Humor prevents burnout. The job will improve your confidence while dealing with strangers or superiors. Learn why in this excerpt from The Levity Effect. We have found that companies that embrace fun as an intentional cultural value tend to have more success because it’s known as a widespread organizational aspiration. It increases productivity. Fun can come in a myriad of forms: Encourage employees to take breaks and doodle to release stress, have a spontaneous trivia time or boost on-the-job friendships through group lunches or … Adrian Gostick and Scott Christopher 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. This unofficial holiday is known by some to always be celebrated on January 28, but some prefer to celebrate it on the last Friday in January. 5 Benefits of Having a Fun Working Environment ... 15 Things You Didn’t Know Could be Hacked, ASEAN Integration 2015: Everything Entrepreneurs Need to Know, Top 10 Jobs for IT Graduates in the Philippines. Day-to-day work related stress can have employees feeling worn down and as a team leader you have to find ... all the while you and your team are having fun. Finally, this definition mentions the benefits of workplace fun upfront and recognizes … If you have this kind of environment, you will have little trouble recruiting and retaining employees. Play sport for the love of it and you will have more fun. Your job gives you the opportunity to meet numerous new people who can be either your friends or mentors or competitors. It stimulates creativity: How often have you had that Big Idea while pouring through a thick file? It reduces absenteeism and helps keep people healthy and happy each day. And when we say “fun,” we talk about it as an outgrowth of a positive workplace culture and environment. I can think of four specific benefits for businesses that encourage fun: Fun is a healer. Here are some ways you can incorporate play into your workplace and have fun all throughout the year. At a fundamental level, more workplace fun = more workplace satisfaction. What do having fun and staying healthy have in common? Job satisfaction affects an employee’s performance and commitment to the job, even extending to his overall well-being. 5. A game room will further encourage the employees to interact beyond work related issues and it will facilitate positive communication and vibes among the office staff. Activities, whether formal or informal, done and designed to encourage fun in the workplace is an inexpensive way to reap the following benefits:  […]. You don't have to be a big corporation to have fun. But consider these six significant benefits of re-working your corporate culture to one where having fun becomes a priority: 1. Humor improves productivity. The attention on emotional intelligence in the workplace and its impact on the bottom line is rapidly gaining momentum. Dr. Daniel Sgroi, the report’s author suggests showing a short film or some crazy commercials. Related: How to Avoid Hiring a Psychopath. Related: 5 Personality 'Flaws' That Are Entrepreneurial Gold. We want you to have a great life. Authors Dave Hemseth and Leslie Yerkes of 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work state that, “Organizations that integrate fun into work have lower levels of absenteeism, greater job satisfaction, increased productivity and less downtime.”. That is the question. For the fourth consecutive year, Google ranked among the top five of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For”. Playing for a team teaches you the values of team work, loyalty, respect and discipline. Amplify your business knowledge and reach your full entrepreneurial potential with Entrepreneur Insider’s exclusive benefits. The contagiousness of having fun means that introducing games and joy into the workplace can build friendships that improve employee engagement and job satisfaction. IT Solutions & Services Philippines – Aim.ph. When two people laugh together, it speaks volumes in a way that says, “You and I are alike in some way.” When people see each other’s vulnerability and find ways to connect with each other, it builds trust. This benefit is often overlooked but I believe is one of the most important to have in any workplace. How Having Fun Can Boost Employee Productivity ... work is an activity generally performed out of "economic necessity". 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 Entrepreneur Voices on Emotional Intelligence, 11 Ways Successful People Deal With People They Don't Like, How This Accounting Firm's Office Builds Structure and Invites the Flow of Ideas, This Software Company's Open Office Genuinely Fosters Collaboration, 5 Keys to Establishing Meaningful and Fruitful Connections in the Workplace, These 6 Types of Music Are Known to Dramatically Improve Productivity. Now, how often have you had it while on a run or drive, or while playing with the kids or shooting hoops? Having fun at work might be just as important as having fun in your personal life. Organize softball, tennis, soccer, or bowling tournaments and other team challenges. There are many benefits to integrating games into the workplace and it's just a plus that playing games is a ton of fun! Google Co-Founder Larry Page maintains that “[w]e don’t just want you to have a great job. According to Page, “Google is organized around the ability to attract and leverage the talent of exceptional technologists and business people” , an attraction that is due in large part to Google’s ability to successfully balance work and play. And happy employees are all around better at their jobs. Not only is humor in the workplace fun, but it can lead to better health, improve relationships, and enhance leadership skills. 4. Since you have to be there all day anyway, make enjoying it one of the things you get done daily. Let the business resources in our guide inspire you and help you achieve your goals in 2021. Physician and author Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, “We don’t quit playing because we grow older; we grow older because we quit playing.” I agree. Robert Daly | Getty Images. Adds Fun to the Work. Popular notions of work may not allow for play, but research has shown that it can have numerous benefits for workers, teams, and organizations. However, if you ask an adult, “What do you want to do today?” what are the chances that you’ll get the response: “Let’s play!”? In fact, Google is seen as the gold standard of fun workplaces. Happy employees are healthier and more productive – so don’t overlook the importance of having fun in the workplace. Bring in your own soundtrack or use one of the online music streaming services like Spotify, Pandora or iHeartRadio to set a fun tone around the office during dedicated “happy” hours (no alcoholic beverages necessary). When people are having fun, the brain releases chemicals called endorphins, which help heal the body. The group can meet weekly or monthly to share their data, fitness tips, and healthy recipes. 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