According to Bob Pike, author of The Fun Minute Manager, a fun work environment is one in which formal and informal activities occur regularly that are designed to uplift people’s spirits and remind people of their value to their managers, their organization, and to each other.
These activities include:
◾The use of humor;
◾Games;
◾Celebrations;
◾Opportunities for self development; or
◾Recognition of achievements and milestones.
Imagine waking up each morning looking forward to the fun that you’re going to have at work that day! This can become a reality. How? By coming up with ways to have more fun at work. Here are 25 ideas to help you get started generating your own:
1. A company in California distributes page-a-day calendars on different subjects to employees at the beginning of each year. The subjects range from “Jeopardy,” to Dilbert cartoons, to gardening tips.
Since everyone’s calendar is different employees share the tips, jokes, or riddles that they get each day with everyone else. Follow their lead and do something similar. (From “301 Ways to Have Fun at Work”).
2. On the third Thursday of the month, go to a pub for food and/or drinks and celebrate achievements, anniversaries, birthdays, and just making it through another month. (From “The Levity Effect”).
3. Decorate the workplace. CNN iReport has a whole report dedicated to creative cubicles which you can take a look at here. Three of my favorites are the following: