Do You Have Fun at Work?

There is such a thing as National Have Fun at Work Day, which is sometimes celebrated on January 28^th or the last Friday in January.  Personally, I think every day should be have fun at work day.  Having fun with your coworkers can produce corporate benefits such as greater job satisfaction, less absenteeism and less downtime.  Simply put, higher morale corresponds to a higher level of productivity.  A study mentioned in a  Forbes Article randomly selected 700 participants to form two groups.  Group 1 viewed a series of 10 minute comedy clips, while Group 2 enjoyed refreshments.  It was determined that both stimuli made the participants happy.  After the participants received various tasks to perform, their productivity was tracked.  The results of the study indicated the productivity level of Group 1 rose anywhere between 12-20 percent.  As you know, the concepts of humor and fun are subjective.  Some people may prefer activities, games or contests, while others prefer pinball machines and writing funny messages and artwork on a designated Blackboard Wall (both are ways we have fun at The Point).  If you need some creative ideas to help create a healthy work environment, you can check out the book, 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work, by Dave Hemsath and Leslie Yerkes.  If you don’t already know my brand of humor, allow me to share…I noticed in Nicole Murray’s cubicle, she has this collection of Disney figurines prominently displayed, so when she came back from vacation…let’s just say, I left her a little surprise…that explains the photo.  So, I will conclude this blog with a timeless and memorable quote, from Oliver Wendell Holmes, “we don’t quit playing because we grow older; we grow older because we quit playing.”