Despite the fact that most educated Professionals end up working in an office of some sort, you still hear many people begrudging their classically life-draining nine to five job. That is probably because this sort of career is indelibly associated with monotonous days spent losing your eyesight while staring at the endless list of emails and spreadsheets that appear on your computer.
These sort of workplaces, as boring as they often are, function in this manner because of the importance of having employees in one central location and the emphasis on intra-office and inter-office communication which of course is a priority. Luckily, these workplaces do not have to be as drab and dreary as we may imagine, if the management recognises the positive production effects of a bit of humour and fun at work. In fact, research has shown that in those workplaces where socialisation and humor are promoted, workers are more satisfied with their jobs and more productive. How can you make your workplace into a more fun and satisfying place to spend your day?
Get Creative
One of the most interesting aspects of the aforementioned study is that people who worked in humor-filled workplaces were actually more creative than those who did not. Creativity, it seems, supports more creativity. To make your workplace more creative, try changing up the usual “casual Friday” with another day of the week, or even better, a specific time period of the week. If you choose to make Wednesday afternoon “casual”, for example, any employees who want to participate will have to change midday, adding a sense of buildup and excitement to the coming time. A change of clothes also helps reset moods and outlooks, and changing in the middle of the day can be a good way to jump-start the energy around the office and get everyone enjoying themselves.
Make Them Work for It
If you view your job or workplace as a bit of an obstacle course, the entertainment value of your day will increase dramatically. Making monotonous activities into a game will give everyone a laugh and keep them on their toes. Tom Stern recommends placing a piece of exercise equipment in front of one of the most frequented areas of the office, like the HR department. This will show your office’s dedication to the personal fitness of its employees and make it much more fun to walk down the hall and hand over that memo you just wrote.
If you had a really great obstruction idea, Stern even suggests placing a hidden camera in front of the area so that you can later compose a hilarious blooper reel of employees’ funniest attempts to pass the obstacle. Let everyone blow off some steam by laughing with their colleagues over both the physical and abstract challenges of their job.
Plan Activities
Depending on the type of workplace you have, several types of activities can help lighten the mood and increase morale. Karaoke party hours are big hits in many offices, especially when managers have to be contestants and employees the judges. As another idea, your office could have a once-a-month movie matinee lunch, in which everyone takes a long lunch to enjoy the latest matinee together. This is great for fostering socialisation and showing acknowledgement of your employees’ hard work.
Spice up your work life with a bit of fun. Happy employees that use humor to entertain themselves while working are happier and more productive than their un-funny peers. Bring some laughs into your workplace for both your sanity and your success!