Who says we need fun in the workplace?
Isn’
t that going to cut down on productivity and create more problems? Where is the empirical evidence that says workers need to have fun in order to be more effective, stay longer or care more? These are all good questions when considering how to inject some fun into your workplace.
In fact, many studies have been done looking at this very issue. While most are limited in their scope, all conclude that there is a positive impact for the associate and the business. Noted positive results include the following:
- Lower turnover
- Lower absenteeism
- Higher productivity
- Stronger associate/manager relationships
- Making your business the “it” place to work
- More cohesive teams
Ultimately, all of these business benefits lead to the associates taking better care of your customers, which is often the foundation for developing a viable and thriving business.
Dictionary.com defines fun as “something that provides mirth or amusement” and “enjoyment or playfulness” when used as a noun. When used as an adjective, it defines it as “of or pertaining to fun, especially to social fun” and “informal.” Social fun is great when you aren’t at work, but may not be embraced in the workplace. Workplace fun is a different story, so let’s take a closer look.
A recent study by the Conference Board Research Group found that only 45 percent of Americans are satisfied with their work. This is the lowest level of satisfaction ever recorded in more than 22 years of studying the issue. The group notes that there are several key reasons for this finding:
- Incomes are not keeping up with inflation.
- Soaring costs of insurance cut away at take-home pay.
- Workers are not finding their jobs interesting.
Having a high level of unhappy workers certainly hurts innovation and productivity, but the good news is that we have the most control over making a change by bringing the “fun factor” back to the workplace.
Watch for my next post on how supervisors play a critical role in doing just that!
[…] you may have seen in my last post, Having Fun in the Workplace — Why it’s Important, adding fun into your workplace provides a variety of benefits for both individual employees and […]
[…] Who says we need fun in the workplace? Isn't that going to cut down on productivity and create more problems? Where is the empirical evidence that says workers need to have fun in order to be more effective, stay longer or care more? […]