We indeed spend most of our waking hours at work. According to the State of the Global Workplace: 2022 Report, 56% of the US workforce is not engaged and thus is indifferent. Since that’s the case, it’s essential to make your work environment a fun place to keep your employees engaged and happy.
You may be tempted to think that fun doesn’t belong at work, but we’re here to tell you otherwise. Implementing these five techniques will help you boost morale and productivity while improving the overall quality of life for all your employees.
Organize Lunch and Learns
A lunch and learn is a short presentation about a relevant topic. It would help if you made the most of every minute when trying to do more with less in your organization. Lunch and learns helps employees gain knowledge and skills to help them do their jobs better. It increases morale, productivity, and efficiency for everyone involved.
Lunch-long learning sessions are also great for building camaraderie among coworkers because they encourage cross-departmental collaboration on topics relevant to all employees’ work lives and social lives outside the office. And by bringing people together this way, you’ll be inviting an exchange of ideas that could lead to some new projects or even products in the future.
Host Company Happy Hours
Happy hours are an excellent way for employees to relax and unwind after a hard day’s work. It can also be an effective way to build camaraderie, which will help your employees feel more connected with their fellow workers. It can positively impact team spirit, which is essential in any company.
Hosting company happy hours is a fun way to get your employees together outside the office. If you’re worried about spending too much money on these events or want suggestions on how best to budget for them, plenty of happy hour ideas can help you plan a successful event without breaking the bank.
Encourage Corporate Volunteering and Community Involvement
Another great way to encourage your employees to let loose is by volunteering with the community. It can take many forms, but one of the most common ways is for companies to have an annual Day of Giving, where employees are encouraged (but not required) to donate their time or money towards a local charity of their choice.
According to Gallup, only 56% of individuals did volunteer work worldwide. Companies need to encourage corporate volunteering and community involvement to make employees feel that they belong and give them a sense of accomplishment. Moreover, another report reveals that social responsibility effectively contributes to professional happiness.
Make Office Procedures Fun, Not Painful
While you don’t want to make your workplace the place where the fun never stops, there is a happy medium between being too stiff and too casual. It will show in their work ethic if your employees are allowed to have fun at work but are not encouraged to do so. At worst, they’ll feel like they’re being forced into having corporate-sponsored team-building weekends or dress-up days. At best, they’ll be reluctant to take on new responsibilities because they feel like they won’t be able to enjoy themselves while doing them.
Employees are more likely to stay with an organization when they enjoy their job, and having fun is an excellent way for employees who aren’t yet at that stage of working there (or just haven’t been around long enough) to get acquainted with how things work within your company culture and what kind of personality fits best into an environment where everyone gets along well.
Plan Company Cook-Offs, Karaoke Nights, Trivia Contests, and More
These events are a great way to get employees to bond and learn about each other. You also don’t need to spend a lot of money on them. You can bring this idea back home with the food itself. For example, ensure enough food for everyone and ask people to get something small that they made themselves, such as homemade cookies or brownies, to share at the office.
If you want something more formal than just a potluck lunch, consider planning an annual company cook-off competition where employees compete against each other in preparing different dishes. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony held during an annual staff party. It doesn’t have to be limited only to one department, either. Let all departments participate in this event so that everyone gets involved.
Conclusion
It’s no secret that work can be stressful. If your employees feel overwhelmed, creating an environment where they can let loose and have fun is essential. There is nothing wrong with letting your employees play ping pong between meetings or hang out in the office kitchen on a Friday afternoon. It is also essential to recognize that every person has different needs and preferences regarding how much freedom they want at work. Some people want more freedom than others.
To avoid potential conflicts or misunderstandings, ensure all of your employees are on board with whatever you decide as a team before implementing it into your daily routine. Having open communication early on will help avoid any problems later. Finally, ensure that everyone understands their roles in this new environment, so there aren’t any surprises later down the road.
Also Checkout : Things To Know Before Opting For Remote Jobs
