What Makes Your Workplace Fun?

Fun and work aren’t terms that usually go together. A fun workplace sounds counterintuitive, but in reality it can do wonders for your business. Sit back and look around your office. Now ask yourself one question – what makes your workplace fun?

Imagine a workplace where every employee was excited to come to work every day. Their job wasn’t just something they do for a paycheck, but it was a way of life. The benefits of this utopia would be incredible. You would instantly see a workplace that:

• Inspires productivity
• Motivates employees
• Decreases employee turnover
• Boosts profitability
• Increases engagement
• Reduces stress
• Fosters creativity
• Increases employee satisfaction

All of these benefits and more can be yours when you create a fun workplace. It’s not hard to create a fun workplace, but you have to make the effort.

Here are a few ways to make your workplace fun:

• Make Fun A Priority – Fun shouldn’t be an after thought. Make it a priority. Go out of your way to make sure that your team has fun while at work.
• Game Room – It’s nice to have a break room, but what if you had a game room instead? Games are a good way to get your team to relax and refresh while they bond with their co-workers. See what you have space for – pinball, ping pong, jenga, climbing walls, darts. Everyone loves playing games in the office.
• Social Events – Organize social events where employees can hangout outside of the work setting. Go to happy hours, organize softball games, go on field trips, encourage team building exercises, or plan company retreats. Don’t make these events mandatory, but encourage your team to get to know each other on a personal level. Building friendships at work will lead to increased engagement.
• Reward Excellence – Show genuine appreciation for your team’s hard work. Recognize individuals for going above and beyond the call of duty, but also celebrate your team’s successes too. Throw impromptu parties or organize events any time goals are met.
• Be Nice – This should go without saying, but being nice is actually a really important part of the fun factor. Avoid negativity whenever possible. It will take away from everyone’s enjoyment.
• Hire Happy People – When you hire think about hiring for personality over skills. Skills can be taught, but personality is deeply ingrained. A new hire with a positive attitude and a contagious smile may be a better addition to your company culture than a highly skilled negative complainer.
• Let People Do Their Own Thing – Encourage creativity and allow people to show their entrepreneurial spirit. No one likes to be micro-managed. When people are free to accomplish goals in their own way, you’ll likely be impressed by the results – even if you have to deal with a few failures too.
• Think Outside The Box – If something makes you smile, it will likely make your team smile too. Get creative and see if you can boost the fun factor with activities that people consider fun. Would your team enjoy… Sushi rolling parties? Scavenger hunts? Costume Days? Softball games? In-office racecourses? Employee retreats? Volunteer days? See what you can come up and give it a try.

Fun is contagious and it creates happy employees. Happy employees are an irreplaceable asset. Build your all-star team and make fun a part of your company culture. The more fun you have, the more successful you’ll be.