There are probably very few people in the entire world who wake up excited to go to work. It seems like a very depressing thought considering we spend more than 1/3rd of our day at work. But nobody goes to work to have fun, right? Although workplace ethics demand we work sincerely, that nowhere means it has to be serious all the time.
One of the key assets of an organization is its engaged employees. The main factor that contributes to employee engagement is job satisfaction. Employees that are happy and satisfied with their work are motivated to achieve their targets and make an organization more productive.
Is it possible to build a happy and fun workplace culture? Is it possible to ensure productive results when employees are having fun? The answer to both these concerns is a Yes. With this article we aim to show you how you can create a work environment that is fun and drives employees to produce better results:
- Provide opportunities for socialization:
For employees to even think of the workplace as fun, they must have opportunities or time to indulge into some socializing activities. Does their work schedule leave space for interacting with others? If not, plan work in a more organized way so they have enough breaks in between.
To make this happen, managers can make use of a project management software to plan and schedule work more efficiently, leaving time for employees to engage with one another. Better workplace connections make employees more interested about going to work.
- Celebrate often:
Appreciating your employees makes them feel valued and encourages them to perform better. Celebrating their achievements is a good way to create a fun environment where everyone can appreciate their performance.
Not just achievements, celebrating small wins or birthdays is also a great way to create a positive work culture. Employees get together at such occasions to talk about something other than work making the celebration a bonding activity.
- Get employee feedback:
A lot of times employers and managers try to do things to keep employees engaged and build a more inclusive work culture but forget to ask employees about their opinion. You can directly ask employees what should be done to make things more interesting in the office.
Their feedback will help you understand their choices and foster deeper connections. Also, they are bound to become more invested as they know this is being done for their own good.
- Host fun contests:
A fun work environment doesn’t need an expensive setup or gadgets. You can make work entertaining by hosting contests in-house that are friendly and innovative. This breeds healthy competition amongst employees which ensures full employee participation.
One of the most common ways of encouraging employees to enter contests is build a leaderboard with points and declare rewards for the top performers. Not only will employees put their best foot forward to win rewards, they will also have a lot of fun throughout the process.
- Set up a play arena:
Offices that have a dedicated games area have a reputation for caring about employees mental well-being as games allow employees to relieve some work stress. Breaking away from work in order to play a game helps employees feel relaxed and re-energizes them.
Even a 10 minute break away from their desk to play a sport like table-tennis helps them stretch and releases endorphins, which results in them feeling more active.
Conclusion:
Apart from these ideas, going out for a team get-together to an outdoor location also ensures employees see their workplace as a contributor to their happiness. What ideas have you implemented to ensure that your employees have fun at work? Let us know in the comments below!