Does that mean Dr. Is this January holiday an unofficial one created by Peter Venkman? Of course not. National Fun at Work Day’s past is a little hazy. However, throughout history, kings, commanders, and rulers have used enjoyment to boost team morale and accomplish a common goal.
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Why is making work fun important?
Having fun at work can increase employees’ morale and productivity. As a manager, you can foster a culture of professionalism that your employees value. You may enjoy your job and think that your managers put your mental health first if you work for a company you like. Making work fun has benefits such as:
26 ways to make work fun
The following 26 ways to make work more enjoyable will give you fresh ideas to increase enthusiasm in your company:
1. Organize an office sports team
Office sports leagues can inspire friendly competition and encourage staff participation. Teams can be arranged by department or by organizational rank, such as managers vs. staff members. You can play a variety of organized sports with your coworkers, for instance:
2. Build a game room
A game room in the office can provide staff with a place to unwind and engage in enjoyable activities. You could add foosball and ping pong tables to an unused office or supply closet, for instance. Additionally, you could provide card and board games for workers to enjoy during their lunch breaks and host game tournaments where winning teams receive rewards.
3. Design a workplace vision board
A vision board at work can support organizational objectives and improve the aesthetics of the space. Engage staff members to create graphics for a board using their imagination and sense of style. You can use your company’s branding elements, like its logo and color scheme.
You can also ask staff members to list their own career aspirations, which could spark discussions about how the company can better foster its employees’ professional development. Once the vision board is finished, you can put it on display in a public area like the lobby or conference room.
4. Decorate the office space
Adding personal flair to your work area may inspire you. You are permitted to bring items from home, such as photographs of your family and friends. You can also change how your office feels and looks. For instance, you could change the office’s wallpaper to a more vibrant shade or rearrange the furniture to give the area a cozier feel. Painting projects that you and your coworkers complete as a team can refresh your office.
5. Share jokes with your coworkers
Laughing together with your coworkers can be a lot of fun. If you come across a joke that makes you laugh, share it in a group chat or mass email to make your coworkers smile. You may create jokes that coincide with your organizational mission. For instance, if you work with young children, you might compile a list of amusing things they’ve said.
6. Create an office book club
A book club is a group of readers who discuss their interpretations of a book they are all reading at the same time. You can offer suggestions for books to read and novel genres to try. In order to discuss your opinions on the story or characters, you can also organize meetings with other club members.
7. Start an office band
Employees can express their musical preferences and creative side through an office band. Let’s say you like to sing, and your coworkers like to play the guitar and drums. Together, you can form a band that plays at professional events like board meetings and holiday parties.
8. Gather after work hours
Spending time with your team members outside of work can help you develop real friendships with them and gain insight into how they behave in social situations. Examples of after-hours hangouts include:
9. Develop a “wall of fame”
Organizational leaders can publicly commend employees on a “wall of fame.” You can display a picture of the employee along with the explanation for their honor on the wall so that their coworkers can commend them for their dedication. It’s important to establish a schedule for adding content to the wall with distinctive designs that your employees enjoy viewing because frequent praise for your employees may increase workplace productivity.
10. Send handwritten notes
Giving your coworkers handwritten notes can humanize your relationships and make them smile. You can compose compliments and thank-you notes and leave them on the desks or mailboxes of your coworkers. You can create a station where your staff can stop and pick up notes with encouraging quotes to keep them motivated during difficult work periods. If you’re creative, you might appreciate adding sketches to your notes.
11. Host a talent show
Employees can showcase their individual talents and compete with one another for a prize at a talent show. You might decide to host a talent show every year and provide special prizes like gift cards to nearby department stores or extra vacation time.
12. Host karaoke competitions
Karaoke contests can be a humorous and entertaining activity for workers. Members of your group can be invited to public areas where they can lip-synch to music. Participants in your competition might be required to dress as the performers who sing the songs, which would increase interest in the occasion.
13. Exercise as a group
You can encourage physical fitness in your organization through group exercises. The following are a few examples of exercises you can do with your staff:
14. Observe holidays during work hours
Observing holidays in the workplace can generate excitement among employees. Here are ways you can celebrate special occasions:
15. Throw parties for work anniversaries
When you recognize an employee’s work anniversary, you give your team a reason to get together and demonstrate your appreciation for their contributions. You can incorporate the staff’s musical and culinary preferences into the celebration, and you can publicize it in the days before the work anniversary. You can also film and edit a video in which coworkers discuss the employee’s best qualities and why they like working with them.
16. Celebrate employee birthdays
Additionally, you can throw birthday parties for your employees. Consider making a calendar that notifies you and your team of approaching birthdays and keeps track of them. You could plan an event at work where your coworker could wish your employee well and enjoy cake and other treats.
17. Allow pets in the office
Pets in the office can help you reduce stress from work and enjoy the company of your favorite animals. It might be fun to take breaks from work to take your pets for walks and introduce them to your coworkers.
18. Start a picture wall
Another way to add aesthetic appeal to your office is with picture walls. You can choose a wall in your place of business that visitors frequently use, like the break room. Employees may include their wedding photographs or travel-related images. Additionally, you can set aside a section for baby pictures with a challenge for your team to identify the employee in the image.
19. Institute themed days
Employees can change their work attire and adopt theme-related mannerisms on themed days. They may impersonate characters or wear costumes and carry props. Examples of themed days include:
20. Perform harmless pranks
You can have amiable fun with your coworkers by playing harmless pranks in the workplace. For instance, you could install rubber snakes and mice throughout the office or switch the computer keys on a coworker to frighten them.
21. Volunteer as a group
While serving the community, volunteering with your coworkers can promote cooperation and good times. To pick up trash at a nearby park on a weekday with your team, for instance, or to organize a canned food drive Participating in community service can also help your staff focus on tasks other than their duties and break up the monotony of their workday.
22. Do group meditation
You and your coworkers can release stress from work together through group meditation, which can promote both mental and physical health. You can practice yoga to increase flexibility and calmness and learn breathing exercises to relieve physical stress.
23. Establish funny traditions
In the workplace, amusement and fun can be fostered by funny customs. For instance, you might establish a rule requiring staff members to dance each time their coffee is refilled. Your coworkers might compete in chair races while traveling to departmental meetings.
24. Have a potluck
A potluck is a gathering where several staff members bring food to share with others. For special events, such as when your company surpasses its quarterly sales goals, you might host a potluck. Potlucks allow you to learn your team members cooking techniques. For instance, you might learn that your coworker makes amazing homemade cookies.
25. Travel to retreats
You might become closer to your coworkers and take part in activities outside of work when you travel with them. As a manager, you might plan yearly retreats in off-the-beaten-path locales where you can get together with your team without being distracted by technology, for instance. You could also go to places that your employees would find interesting. For instance, your team might decide to travel to a place with beaches or skiing in the weeks preceding the retreat.
26. Celebrate new employees
By recognizing new hires, you can welcome them to your company and give them a fun, casual introduction to your team. You can start icebreaker activities where you ask your staff to share interesting facts about themselves. You could also host events with food and music where your staff can socialize while at work.
FAQ
What does it mean to have fun at work?
Fun in the workplace often encourages creativity. Companies put an emphasis on making sure employees enjoy their work, assisting them in learning more and feeling enthused about their jobs. This frequently encourages more conversations and teamwork, which produces fresh ideas.
How do I make work fun?
- Organize an office sports team. …
- Build a game room. …
- Design a workplace vision board. …
- Decorate the office space. …
- Share jokes with your coworkers. …
- Create an office book club. …
- Start an office band. …
- Gather after work hours.
How do you inject fun at work?
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Virtual Activities and Games for National Fun at Work Day
- Scavenger Hunt. …
- Fun at Work Day Bingo. …
- Online Office Games (Facilitated) …
- Virtual Team Trivia (Fully Hosted) …
- Superhero Academy.