Why Play At Work Matters
Have you ever wished you could work for a company like Google, Facebook or Zappos, because their employees just seem to have more fun? These companies incorporate the spirit of play into everything they do with ping pong tables, basketball hoops, and fun department and company wide social events.
Employees can benefit from having “play breaks” built into their day for play, and companies benefit, too. Studies have shown that more play during the day can be beneficial for team morale, but it goes even deeper than that. When workers are able to break up their day from the monotonous drain of email and meetings, most find that their productivity ramps up. They tend to be more engaged when they’re working, and they take a more creative approach to problem solving.
Of course, there’s more to play than just productivity, engagement, and problem-solving. Play also makes it more likely that workers will show up to their jobs. Furthermore, it helps to reduce stress and reduces related healthcare costs. The overall impact is a more positive working environment, and higher productivity.
If you’d like to incorporate more play into your workplace, here are five ways to get started:
1. Work together
Maximize the benefits of play by encouraging your team to work together during playtime. They might play a team sport, a board game, or just have a high-energy brainstorming session. By working together outside of the scope of their typical roles, your team will develop better rapport, leading to greater overall productivity. For even greater impact, you can combine teamwork with some of the other methods listed below.
2. Build something together
Maybe you’re the type of person who wants to build something tangible during playtime. This could take the form of an art or craft project, or maybe you could be more ambitious and offer your construction services to a not-for-profit organization. This type of activity builds team camaraderie, and gets creative juices flowing which can transfer to problem-solving ability when everyone returns to work.
3. Get physical
When you want to pump some energy into your workplace, there’s nothing better than getting up from your desk and moving around. Head outside to take a walk, play a little basketball, or take a few minutes to swing on the playground outside the office. A physical break is not only good for your body, but it’s also good for your brain.
4. Share stories and experiences
Playbreaks are a great time to leave discussion about business back at work, and learn about what’s truly important to members of your team. Outside the office or workplace, people are generally more at ease, and willing to share. This setting enables them to share positive experiences, or maybe even challenges they’re having.
By providing an opportunity for team members to share what’s going on in their lives, everyone will get to know each other better. Understanding others on the team helps to not only be a better human, but also has advantages when everyone’s back at work.
5. Get ideas from others, too
You might drop by the desk of a co-worker or employee and it seems like they’re distracted. Have a little grace for this, as sometimes playing around yields the biggest breakthroughs for your company. If you have been hitting the wall with a challenge that is facing your team right now, give everyone some time away from it and allow them to just explore what interests them. Ask for suggestions from the group on how to incorporate fun and play into your day.
While your company might not be Google, Facebook or Zappos, there are definitely ways even the most rigid and structured company can incorporate fun and play. Whether you play a team sport, share experiences, or just give employees time to explore their own interests, play is one way to dramatically improve productivity and boost company morale.
Incorporating play is a great goal for every company, and it can help you to think about it in terms of a long-term vision of success. Start your company on the path to play with some of these helpful tips – starting today!
