Bringing FUN Back into the Workplace

Lately, the workplace has felt heavier than usual. Between economic uncertainty, burnout, and the relentless pace of modern work, it’s no wonder workers are feeling drained. Everything is serious: layoffs, deadlines, politics… It’s a lot.

This year, employee engagement reached a 10-year low. Unfortunately, some organizations seek to combat the resulting underperformance and churn by getting serious about seriously emphasizing the serious nature of workplace expectations. Seriously.

Perhaps it’s time to lighten things up instead. The number one driver of wellbeing at work is the same across all generations: fun! Work doesn’t have to feel like a constant grind, especially when workers who experience fun at work are 200% more likely to have high levels of wellbeing.

A little bit of fun can go a long way in improving morale, reducing stress, and creating a workplace people actually want to be part of. Throughout the year, different seasons present new challenges and new opportunities to engage.

To make it easy for you, we’ve put together downloadable calendars (one for warm weather, one for cold weather) packed with ideas to help you create a sunny workplace, no matter the season.

Employee Engagement is Down Nationwide

For many years, employee engagement was steadily rising across the board. Then the pandemic hit, and it’s been all downhill from there. Instead of rebounding, 68% of people are unengaged at work (17% are actively disengaged). Why is this important? Engagement predicts valuable outcomes like quality of work, safety, profitability and more. As engagement drops, employee intent to leave for another job increases. It’s a costly problem to have as it drains approximately $2 trillion from the U.S. economy annually.

The question isn’t whether engagement matters – it’s how companies can turn things around.

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Investing in Fun at Work Pays Off

Bringing fun back into the workplace isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s a business strategy that improves engagement, boosts productivity, and enhances retention. 

For example:

Trader Joe’s is well known for infusing fun into the workplace, and implementing other engagement strategies. As a direct result, Trader Joe’s is consistently celebrated as a best place to work and reports less than 10% annual workforce turnover, which is very low compared to other retailers.

One of Zappos’ top core values is to “create fun and a little weirdness.” Focusing on employee happiness first paved the way for Zappos to earn its reputation for “WOW” customer service and business success.

What would Pixar movies be without fun and creativity? That’s why Pixar creates a welcoming culture where originality, diversity and authenticity thrive.

Here at Access Development, we’ve brought fun into the workplace in many different ways. We’ve brought in food trucks, hosted pancake breakfasts, sponsored 5Ks and more. All these efforts support a larger goal of promoting holistic wellness in the workplace. As a result, we’ve won several workplace awards over the years. More importantly, we’ve grown our reputation for excellent service and outstanding results among the businesses we serve. 

A fun, engaging workplace isn’t just about entertainment. It’s about creating an environment where team members feel valued, connected, and motivated.

Here’s why investing in engagement is one of the smartest moves an employer can make:

• Higher Productivity: Engaged employees are 18% more productive.
• Lower Absenteeism: Unengaged employees take an average of 6.2 sick days per year, double that of engaged employees (2.7 days).
• Increased Profitability: Businesses with strong organizational culture increased net profits 85% over 5 years.
• Better Retention: Engaged employees are 21% less likely to leave for another job.
• Happier Customers: Organizations with engaged employees have 10% higher customer loyalty ratings.

The bottom line? Happy workers make for a successful business. And what better way to boost engagement than by making work enjoyable?

Tips to Successfully Infuse Fun into the Workplace

When it comes to culture and morale, 92% of human resources professionals believe that HR has a strong influence on company-wide strategy. That’s why the majority of businesses have the HR department take ownership of the employee experience (and many more wish they did).

Bringing fun into the workplace is about more than just throwing a random party – it takes thoughtful planning to ensure success. And, of course, you can't force fun. Scroll down to the bottom of the article to download your calendars with 30 days of fun engagement ideas – one perfect for cold weather and one for warm weather. First, here are some tips to make any engagement initiative more effective:

• Align with your culture: Not every workplace is the same. Choose engagement ideas that reflect your company’s unique values and resonate with your team.
• Get leadership involved: When managers and executives participate, it sets the tone and encourages more workers to join in.
• Use all communication channels: Promote events and initiatives through email, Slack, posters, and meetings so no one misses out.
• Offer participation rewards: Small incentives like gift cards, extra break time, or company swag can encourage workers to get involved.
• Gather feedback: Ask your workforce what worked, what didn’t, and what they’d love to see next time. Engagement should evolve based on their input.

Seasonal Challenges that Drain Fun from the Workplace

Every season comes with its own set of challenges that can threaten engagement, but understanding them is the first step to overcoming them. 

Cold Weather Challenges: 

The colder months start off with the holidays. Usually associated with laughter and good cheer, the holidays might mean something very different to some employees. Holiday financial stress weighs heavily as workers stretch their budgets to buy gifts and travel to see family. Some experience loneliness or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) brought on by the shorter days and lack of sunlight.

Then after the new year, post-holiday blues are notorious for putting a major damper on engagement and productivity. Workers often return exhausted from overcommitment, family obligations, and disrupted routines. And what do they return to? The year-end deadline crunch, increased absenteeism from weather-related commute issues and seasonal illnesses, and the general "hibernation mode" that makes people want to stay home. It’s the perfect storm for disengagement. 

Our cold-weather themed calendar offers ideas designed for use throughout the holidays and beyond, when most are stuck indoors. 

Warm Weather Challenges:

The warmer months can be a big distraction to employees, calling their attention to anything other work. Many parents report extra stress when kids are on school breaks because of extra child care needs, scheduling activities and the guilt of missing spending time with them. Staggered vacations can kill team momentum and crush morale among those left to pick up the workload. 

The "summer slump" is real – heat naturally saps energy and motivation, making it harder for employees to maintain focus on long-term projects. Worse still, the stark contrast between beautiful weather outside and fluorescent lights inside can make every moment at a desk feel like a missed opportunity. Social media amplifies vacation envy, and financial disparities become painfully visible when some employees can afford beach getaways while others struggle to pay for summer childcare.

Our warm-weather themed calendar is full of ideas that make use of the sunshine and challenge any FOMO employees might be feeling.

Download a Month of FUN Engagement Ideas

Need inspiration to bring some fun into your workplace? Each downloadable calendar includes a full month of engagement ideas designed to brighten up the office, foster teamwork, and make workdays more enjoyable. 

Work doesn’t have to feel like a chore. With the right approach, you can create an environment where employees thrive—and have a little fun while they’re at it. So, let’s shake off the gloom and bring back the joy of work. Download your engagement calendars today and start making workdays brighter!