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. With warmer weather on the horizon, now is the perfect time to infuse some sunshine into your company culture.
To make it easy for you, we’ve put together a downloadable calendar packed with ideas to help you create a workplace as bright as the summer sun.
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, 69% 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. It’s a costly problem to have as it drains approximately $8.8 trillion from the global economy annually.
The question isn’t whether engagement matters – it’s how companies can turn things around.
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 named a best place to work.
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 the highest job satisfaction were 7x more likely to significantly increase revenue.
- Better Retention: Engaged employees are 21% less likely to leave for another job.
- Happier Customers: Organizations with engaged employees also 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 a calendar with 30 days of summer fun engagement ideas. 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.
Download a Month of FUN Engagement Ideas
Need inspiration to bring some fun into your workplace? Our downloadable calendar includes a full month of engagement ideas designed to brighten up the office, foster teamwork, and make workdays more enjoyable. From outdoor team-building activities to creative office challenges, these ideas are simple to implement but powerful in impact.
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 calendar today and start making workdays brighter!
SUBMIT TO DOWLOAD AND PRINT YOUR FREE ENGAGEMENT CALENDAR
