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International Day of Fun at Work: What makes for a fun workplace?

International Day of Fun at Work: What makes for a fun workplace?

It would probably be a drag to work at a company focused more on finances, spreadsheets and numbers instead of encouraging fun and innovative new ways to do things. This is especially true for someone with an appreciation for humour and "good vibes" at the workplace.

Karaoke evenings. Ping-pong contests. Free team lunches. These are just some of the perks that you’d think of first if we told you to imagine a "fun workplace". After all, fun jobs need all the hallmarks of a good time!

Imagine this: Your employees get to the office ready to begin their tasks, only to find a surprise board game party at the office. Now, how do you think they would react? It would definitely be a great & fun way to kickstart the day, wouldn’t it?

Moreover, it would make them even happier to get work done because they had "fun" at work!

Creating a fun environment at work has many such benefits. It is well-known that enjoyment leads to happiness and better employee well-being. In the modern workplace, leading HR managers employ strategies to associate the workplace with a sense of fun and joy for employees.

Who doesn’t like having fun when doing what they love? While “fun” and “work” are often seen as opposing factors, we believe that shouldn’t be the case. We wanted to remind everyone of this fact, and what better opportunity to discuss this than just before International Fun at Work Day?

First celebrated in 1996, the International Day of Fun at Work, also called International Fun at Work Day, is celebrated every year on the 1st of April. It is a day to turn a regular work day into a fun, enjoyable and memorable experience for employees.

Why having fun at work makes for better outcomes

“Where people aren’t having any fun, they seldom produce good work” – David Oglivy

1st April has always been celebrated as a day of fun and frolic. This should also be the case at the workplace! Keeping this in mind, here are a few of the reasons why employees having fun at work leads to better outcomes.

  • Less stress, more enjoyment: Having fun at work helps lower stress levels, improve overall health, and even strengthen the bond between team members. Humour and laughter are great tools to boost team members' morale across the organization.
  • No fear of being creative: In her article for Inc., Ayse Birsel recounts how children learn effectively - they are not scared of making mistakes when playing. Likewise, employees having fun and being playful at work helps boost their creative muscles. This also creates a create a better work culture at the workplace.

Planning fun activities at work

The above reasons were the “why” of having fun at work. Let us now discuss “how” to go about implementing this knowledge!

  • Team quiz competitions: Take a poll on the kinds of topics employees are interested in. Then host a competition to test their knowledge! This helps foster a sense of teamwork and camaraderie.
  • Clubs galore: Encourage teams to start a book club, movie club, football club etc. This helps them find colleagues with similar interests and creates a sense of belonging.
  • Board game time: Who says work has to leave you bored? Employees can have fun at work by playing board games like Monopoly, Scrabble etc. This helps break the monotony of the work day,
  • Karaoke: Team members can sing their favourite tunes and join in choruses to well-known songs together. This is a fun and casual way to boost employee engagement through enjoyment.
  • Group fitness sessions: Team sports and group fitness sessions are a great way to help employees stay fit and healthy together. Stepathons are also one method of fostering healthy competition among colleagues and introducing gamification of health benefits.
  • Raffles & lotteries: Give employees an incentive to stay productive! Organizing fun mini raffles and lotteries can help create a fun environment. You never know what you'll get!
  • Office traditions: Create a yearly tradition for the office! This could be something unique to your organization or borrowed from other sources. When employees feel like a part of a tradition, they feel more at ease when at work. This can lead to a better employer-employee bond as well!

In closing

It is a great idea to create a sense of fun and joy at work. Fun activities at work boost employee motivation, creativity, and team-building. "Fun" can and needs to be a part of every workplace. In the new normal, even hybrid or remote employees having fun can reap various comprehensive health benefits!

Schedule a demo to learn how your organisation can get the best employee health and well-being experience with ekincare's commitment to quality.

Aditya Prakash Swain is an adaptable and dynamic Digital Media Consultant responsible for content marketing strategy, conducting thorough research on industry-related topics, generating ideas for new content types and enhancing brands digital presence.