It’s no secret that happy employees tend to be productive
employees. The opposite is also true. Employees who feel excessively stressed or
underappreciated at work tend to have low morale and decreased output. As an
employer, keeping your team engaged and content will ultimately help your
bottom line. It will result in fewer turnovers and greater productivity.
So, how do you keep your team happy? One effective way is by
incorporating play into the workspace. And no, this doesn’t mean bringing in a
few board games a couple of times a month. If you want to benefit from the
power of play, you need to incorporate it into your workplace design and
culture.
Defining “Play”
When you hear the word “play,” what do you think of? If you
envision small children running, laughing, and playing with action figures,
you’re only partially correct. Most people have the idea that playtime is
reserved for children while adults are expected to act with more maturity and
decorum. No wonder so many grownups are overstressed and frustrated with life!
There is no rule book or manual stating that playtime is
only reserved for children. Adults can also benefit from engaging in play,
though activity preferences may change a bit as you grow older. When you were a
child, you might have loved playing dress-up. As an adult, you might prefer
challenging your co-workers to a game of Chess or Mario Kart. As long as you’re
having fun, it doesn’t matter what form of play you prefer!
Benefits of Play in the Workplace
According to Psychology Today, play is a basic human
emotional system. It’s no secret that play can reduce stress and enhance
feelings of well-being. Therefore, it should be an essential component of any
workplace. Having fun can unlock innovation and creativity in both children and
adults. It also unites team members, which can be very helpful if your
employees struggle to cooperate and get things done.
Play also increases productivity, as illustrated in a study
by Brigham Young University. According to the study, teams that took just 45
minutes to play a collaborative video game together increased productivity by
20%! Rather than using fear-based tactics to get your employees to work harder,
consider giving them more time to play and have fun together.
How to Design a Fun-Centric Workspace
Now that you know how important play is for increasing
output, it’s time to consider how you’ll incorporate it into your workspace. Here
are a few ideas to give you inspiration:
Create Recreational Zones
Some companies reserve one space in the office for play. It
could be a game room, lunchroom, or even a meeting room. They fill the space
with things like card games, puzzles, video games, and treats. This is a great
setup and gives employees a specific space to blow off steam and relax. But if
you have just one recreational area, it could become too crowded for employees
to fully enjoy.
To solve this problem, consider creating multiple recreational
zones. This will not only help with crowd control, but it will also give
employees greater freedom to choose the type of fun they prefer. For example,
you could create a game room that’s reserved for video games, card games, and
board games. Another room could be dedicated to more physically-oriented
activities like table tennis and miniature golf. Finally, you could have an
outdoor play zone complete with playground equipment, zip lines, and
basketball courts.
Prioritize Flexible Spaces
It may not always be possible to permanently dedicate
portions of the office to play. If you’re dealing with a small space, renting
the space, or have other constraints, that’s OK. You can still make the
environment fun by prioritizing flexible spaces. These are areas that can be
quickly and easily adapted for different activities.
To illustrate how this might work, you could have one large
room in the office that you turn into a flexible space. You can then
reconfigure this space as needed to enhance collaboration, host social
gatherings and workshops, or create temporary “recharge” spaces. Flexible
spaces are easily adaptable and encourage employees to collaborate and move
around freely.
Reserve a Space for Furry Friends
Many people struggle to balance their personal and work
lives. This can be especially difficult for those who leave pets at home while
they go to work. To help ease the emotional stress of leaving pets behind, some
businesses are choosing to create pet-friendly workplaces. This makes it
possible for employees to bring their furry family members with them to the
office.
Some companies choose to relax their policies to allow pets
in the office one day of the week. Others create dedicated doggy daycare areas
where employees can bring their beloved pooches to hang out and socialize
during the workday. Rover is a pet-sitting and dog-walking service that has a
permanent “bring your pet to work” policy. Employees can keep their dogs near
their desks throughout the day. Experiencing the love, companionship, and
playfulness of a companion animal at work can help increase morale and
productivity.
Life was never meant to be all work and no play. If you
maintain that type of environment in the workplace, your employees won’t have
the drive to get things done. Use these workplace design tips to incorporate
play into your office environment and watch how productivity levels increase.
