Published on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007
How many of us can honestly vouch that we really enjoy what we do!
Unfortunately, most of us operate on certain preconceived notions like –
‘Work is serious business.’
‘There is no place for fun in work whatsoever.’
One might ask why do work and fun always have to be mutually exclusive. Why can’t work be fun too?
Sorry to say, but the universally prevalent stance is that having fun in the workplace reduces productivity. If an employee has a playful attitude and jokes or is jocular, he is branded as frivolous, incompetent and even unprofessional.
Does that imply that we really have to go about our work with frowning, worried or drawn faces?
Well, contrary to popular opinion, work and fun share a symbiotic relationship. People who have fun at work actually enjoy what they do and so work much better. Moreover, an amalgam of work and fun breaks the tedium and employees don’t feel like they are working at all.
They actually look forward to going to work, something that is otherwise quite unimaginable. Imagine getting paid to do something that you enjoy doing!
Experts uphold that a good dose of humour is the best stress buster as it makes the work place more pleasant. This translates into increased productivity, confidence, morale and job satisfaction. As, Dr. David Abramis who studied the impact of fun at work for years reveals, “People who have fun on the job are more creative, more productive, better decision-makers and get along better with co-workers. They also have fewer absentee, late and sick days than people who aren’t having fun.”
Considering all these benefits infusing fun in the workplace is fast becoming an occupational necessity. The GenY workforce puts a premium on work/life balance and seeks jobs that have an inherent element of fun permeating the workplace. This does not make them take their work any less seriously, but makes them passionate to succeed. Therefore, companies that figure out this delicate equation alone can attract and retain the top talent.
Build a culture of fun
Creating a work/fun fusion injects vigour into the job and creates tolerance for the most repetitive tasks. All it takes is a few minutes of doing some boredom-breaking activities that people enjoy - like listening to music, working on a crossword puzzle or reading a short story. All this to relieve the stress and reinvigorate the employees’ thought processes. Laughing while working can lighten up a dreadful day and inject enthusiasm into even the most unpleasant of tasks.
In a similar vein, holding light-hearted contests, impromptu celebrations and other creative fun makes the office an exciting place to work in. Add to these soliciting employees’ ideas on more ways to increase fun to the workplace. It’s all about adding a dimension of playfulness to mould people to believe that combining fun with work is a way of life in your company.
Managers should set an example by adopting a cheerful deportment that reflects humour in negative situations and make them joke over their own mistakes to defuse the tension and stress. They should encourage everyone to loosen up a bit, crack a smile and not take things too seriously.
It’s high time merriment moves from the confines of locker rooms, cafeterias and water coolers to become an intrinsic part of the daily routine. Yet, it is essential to clearly explain to employees what fun is in the workplace. Only tasteful and contextual humour that does not mock or offend anyone can build healthy bonhomie and camaraderie.
What does fun on the job really mean? It is not only about guffawing or playing the fool all the time, but also making work challenging and meaningful. Employees feel their work is more lively and fun when they are given the freedom to be innovative, compete healthily, take risks, solve problems and learn new skills by working with brilliant people. Therefore, management should endeavour to provide a dynamic, fast-paced and flexible work environment. Work would then be more enjoyable, rewarding and FUN!
Unfortunately, most of us operate on certain preconceived notions like –
‘Work is serious business.’
‘There is no place for fun in work whatsoever.’
One might ask why do work and fun always have to be mutually exclusive. Why can’t work be fun too?
Sorry to say, but the universally prevalent stance is that having fun in the workplace reduces productivity. If an employee has a playful attitude and jokes or is jocular, he is branded as frivolous, incompetent and even unprofessional.
Does that imply that we really have to go about our work with frowning, worried or drawn faces?
Well, contrary to popular opinion, work and fun share a symbiotic relationship. People who have fun at work actually enjoy what they do and so work much better. Moreover, an amalgam of work and fun breaks the tedium and employees don’t feel like they are working at all.
They actually look forward to going to work, something that is otherwise quite unimaginable. Imagine getting paid to do something that you enjoy doing!
Experts uphold that a good dose of humour is the best stress buster as it makes the work place more pleasant. This translates into increased productivity, confidence, morale and job satisfaction. As, Dr. David Abramis who studied the impact of fun at work for years reveals, “People who have fun on the job are more creative, more productive, better decision-makers and get along better with co-workers. They also have fewer absentee, late and sick days than people who aren’t having fun.”
Considering all these benefits infusing fun in the workplace is fast becoming an occupational necessity. The GenY workforce puts a premium on work/life balance and seeks jobs that have an inherent element of fun permeating the workplace. This does not make them take their work any less seriously, but makes them passionate to succeed. Therefore, companies that figure out this delicate equation alone can attract and retain the top talent.
Build a culture of fun
Creating a work/fun fusion injects vigour into the job and creates tolerance for the most repetitive tasks. All it takes is a few minutes of doing some boredom-breaking activities that people enjoy - like listening to music, working on a crossword puzzle or reading a short story. All this to relieve the stress and reinvigorate the employees’ thought processes. Laughing while working can lighten up a dreadful day and inject enthusiasm into even the most unpleasant of tasks.
In a similar vein, holding light-hearted contests, impromptu celebrations and other creative fun makes the office an exciting place to work in. Add to these soliciting employees’ ideas on more ways to increase fun to the workplace. It’s all about adding a dimension of playfulness to mould people to believe that combining fun with work is a way of life in your company.
Managers should set an example by adopting a cheerful deportment that reflects humour in negative situations and make them joke over their own mistakes to defuse the tension and stress. They should encourage everyone to loosen up a bit, crack a smile and not take things too seriously.
It’s high time merriment moves from the confines of locker rooms, cafeterias and water coolers to become an intrinsic part of the daily routine. Yet, it is essential to clearly explain to employees what fun is in the workplace. Only tasteful and contextual humour that does not mock or offend anyone can build healthy bonhomie and camaraderie.
What does fun on the job really mean? It is not only about guffawing or playing the fool all the time, but also making work challenging and meaningful. Employees feel their work is more lively and fun when they are given the freedom to be innovative, compete healthily, take risks, solve problems and learn new skills by working with brilliant people. Therefore, management should endeavour to provide a dynamic, fast-paced and flexible work environment. Work would then be more enjoyable, rewarding and FUN!
PAYAL CHANANIA
Yes, agree. Having a sense of humor and of fun is not just a 'good thing' but sometimes even necessary. And not just at the workplace but everywhere in life.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't know - would you recommend that the manager of a department actually take time out of the workday in order to make 'fun' happen? Would those lost productivity hours actually make up for overall employee happiness and therefore production? And if yes, is there any real way to measure this cost-vs.-benefit?
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
ReplyDelete