You may not have devoted a lot of thought to fun at work. For many of us, fun just sort of happens. I know for me personally; I would be bored to death if I was in an environment that I felt wasn’t any fun! I have always tried hard to foster fun in the workplace (within reason of course).
Fun isn’t consciously thought about or practiced. And this is good! We don’t want to live in a world where the fun police go from meeting to meeting, making sure people are having fun. That doesn’t sound fun… 😊
Fun is important and it’s happening because I think it is important to recognize that most people want to enjoy their day to day… even at work. Many want to have opportunities to let loose, recharge from their routine, and get to know their co-workers on a more personal level – all benefits of fun.
Because fun is inherently social, it increases social connections at work. Because people seek fun, those office events and celebrations bring people together. They can create and reinforce relationships between people who may not directly work together. And when people come together in a spirit of fun, they interact differently.
Lastly, workplace fun can act as a recovery mechanism when times are tough. Professionals working in truly difficult professions like real estate, are notorious for bonding with their co-workers through humor – oftentimes dark humor. The ability to take a step back and process difficult events by having fun with others can keep employees engaged and refreshed.
I hope you all have a FUN and enjoyable week!