Most people experience anxiety, stomach pain, and stress before entering the office. This is because many negative thoughts and feelings are associated with the idea of going to work. Unfortunately, most people nowadays are not excited or enthusiastic about entering the office, as it is not usually a fun or relaxed place.
It is increasingly common for people to search for companies with fun work environments. A positive environment in the office not only reduces stress and helps everyone in staying productive, but it also helps make work fun. In this article, we tell you why you should encourage workers to have fun in the office!
Why is it important to have fun in the workplace?
Studies over the past few decades have revealed how fun and joy increase employee well-being and happiness. Having fun in the workplace is important for employees to feel comfortable, motivated and be more productive on a daily basis.
What are the benefits of introducing fun activities into your workplace?
On average, people spend a third of their lives at work. In just one year, this equates to 251 work days or more than 2,000 hours in the office. That being said, our brains need a little fun to relax and reduce certain stress at work, which can affect the efficiency of our work and the happiness of employees. That is why it is necessary to carry out certain activities at work that allow us to have fun while maintaining the maximum level of productivity. Having fun at work has multiple benefits, let’s review some of them.
It reduces stress
Doing fun activities reduces stress and improves employee health and motivation. Many studies have shown that enjoying interesting videos or games can suppress stress. Stress affects the physical and mental health of employees and is related to countless illnesses, resulting in a high rate of job absence. The atmosphere of work pressure has a clear influence on the number of sick days and the ability of sick employees to work in poor physical or mental condition.
It motivates employees
Motivation is key to labor productivity. If you have employees who are motivated to go to work in a fun and healthy work environment, their productivity and personal happiness will be much higher. They will be motivated not only by earning their salary, being promoted or learning, but by going to work with a smile, as they will enjoy going to the office.
It helps attract and retain top talent
Having a fun environment at work is also a competitive advantage in the job market. A carefree work environment is more attractive to any professional looking for work. Companies with pleasant and dynamic environments tend to have a better image and greater employee satisfaction, which helps to recruit and retain the best possible talent.
It encourages innovation
One of the keys to innovation is fun. Many psychology studies have shown that humor is key to facilitating mental flexibility and the ability to innovate. It may be due to the reduction of stress, or the changes in perspective that characterize humor, but it is clear that it works and is a fairly easy and fast way to stimulate ingenuity and innovation.
It stimulates learning
Learning any new knowledge requires a process of trial and error, and in this sense play and the ability to laugh at failures are essential. In addition, fun activities promote memorization and retention of data, a result that numerous studies have confirmed. A training course that includes fun elements in the key points increases the likelihood that they will remember the information in the future.
Discover how virtual work holiday party events work
6 easy ways to create a fun workplace
It is undeniable that doing a job that we like makes our days less tiring and overwhelming. However, this assumption is not always enough to guarantee happiness in the office. Those who work long hours at a desk know that there are many factors that determine the quality of time we spend in the workplace: the environment around us, the relationship with colleagues, the amount of work to manage, relationships with the boss, etc. There are many aspects that often make our days longer and more complex, even if we are at the job we want. That is why we will leave you some tips to make work more fun.
1. Team building activities
A team building activity is a unifying event that aims to strengthen the links between the members of an organization such as a sports team, school class, or workplace/business. A team building activity is thus focused on fun, mutual aid, healthy competition and must be inclusive and accessible to all.
At Kronos Experience, we believe that the team building experience goes far beyond the main event. It reaches before and after it. That’s why we pay particular attention to and focus on the soundscapes and the quality of our unique teaser videos, which aim to create an immersive experience and achieve an unparalleled level of commitment for our customers in their team-building activities.
If you’re looking for a team-building activity that goes off the beaten track, that will stimulate your imagination, fill you with wonder and get you and your team immersed in a grandiose adventure, let’s take a moment to discuss it!
2. Casual Friday
Why not give employees the opportunity to dress casually one day a week? In addition to this, at least one informal moment could be proposed during working hours, for example inviting everyone for a drink (happy hour!), engaging employees and giving them the opportunity to interact in a relaxed way. Remember, connecting with your colleagues makes everyone happier.
3. Virtual party for your office
A virtual office party is a group activity that uses different technologies to virtually bring together employees who work remotely around fun, collaborative and engaging concepts in order to forge stronger links between them. It is above all a celebration.
At Kronos Experience, we make sure that this technological solution won’t mean that your staff will have to passively assist with some kind of entertainment from behind their computer screens. We use technology solutions that allow participants to be virtually together, to collaborate, to have fun… while being physically ACTIVE and even take a breath of fresh air!
Organize a virtual office party for your team
4. Smart Working
It may seem like a paradox, but in reality the possibility of disconnecting from the daily routine facilitates the tolerability of the time spent in the office. The companies that have introduced the practice of smart working have also shown notable improvements in terms of productivity and sense of responsibility of the employees.
Therefore, there are no contraindications to using work from home at least once a week: being able to manage time independently, working in a family context and breaking the habit of going to the office every day brings many benefits even in the workplace.
5. Listening to music
By now listening to music with headphones is an established practice, and there are also playlists specifically designed to promote concentration and stimulate creativity. However, this habit does not produce a collective effect, but eventually has a positive impact only on those who practice it, who also isolate themselves from the external environment, reducing socialization.
To bring some joy to the office it can be highly recommended to listen to shared music, perhaps in an open space or in rooms for two or three people. In fact, it has been shown that music is one of the components that contributes to improving the work experience and facilitates relationships between colleagues. Of course, it’s not easy to get everyone to agree, because everyone has their own musical preferences, but by setting up playlists that please everyone, you can find the right compromise.
6. Bringing the dogs to the office
For years, we have been talking about the benefits of pet therapy and the value that a pet brings to people’s lives. Finally, in recent times this belief has also been confirmed in the workplace. Several studies have shown that taking your dog to the office improves mood and productivity and helps to create a more serene and collaborative environment among employees.
In addition, knowing that your dog does not stay home alone for many hours reduces the need to apply for vacations and permits, exactly as it happens with company daycare. Therefore, there are no contraindications to choosing to work with your dog nearby. However, it is necessary that the company allows the presence of dogs in the workplace with specific conditions and limitations.
Want to organize a team building event?
Due to the pandemic, we have seen great differences in social conditions between countries. While some countries have reopened to allow groups of different sizes to gather again, in other parts of the world, home isolation is still the only option.
No matter where you are, no matter what your situation is, we can provide a team building solution that suits your team’s needs and reality. If some of you can get together freely and obey the rules of social distancing, that would be great! With our hybrid team building concept, we will keep your team connected, energetic and highly involved. You will experience an immersive team experience and create lasting corporate memories.
If you are still working from home, if your area is in shutdown or if some of your team members are remote employees, you can still be part of the experience with our virtual team building concepts! Don’t let the frontiers, time zones or world events hold you back from building strong links and relationships within your organization.
Customize a team building activity