Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1215405
27.02.2020 15 BUSINESS IT has long been recognised that all work and no play is likely to lead to less productive, dissatisfied workers. As far back as the 1930s, management researchers such as Elton Mayo and Mary Parker Follett noted that aspects of human nature, such as relationships, were important motivating factors in the workplace. It was a radical departure from Hen- ry Ford's assertion that "men work for two reasons. One is for wages, and one is for fear of losing their jobs". ere was no time for fun in the early-1900s stop- watch driven world of scientific man- agement and the efficiency movement. But the script for the workplace as a fun environment was rewritten by nu- merous Silicon Valley start-ups during the dot-com boom. ey are now epit- omised by the office perks that come with tech companies like Google. ese encompass, variously: music and art studios, mini-golf courses, ping pong tables, foosball, climbing walls and even nap pods.Besides making working lives more enjoyable, there is strong evidence that fun in the workplace packs a pow- erful punch in terms of organisational benefits. For example, I researched the restau- rant industry (in collaboration with John Michel from Loyola University and Michael Tews from Penn State in the US), an environment with more than 60% employee turnover annually, and found that workers who socialised more in the workplace and who saw their co-workers and the workplace as more fun were less likely to leave. Fun in the workplace can also fos- ter more positive attitudes, help teams become more cohesive, and help peo- ple deal with or recover from stressful work experiences, while also developing stronger relationships. So how can firms create a suitably pro-fun culture and environment, with the appropriate activities, in order to capture these benefits? One important lesson for managers is that fun in the workplace is highly subjective. Some employees might look forward to meet- ing their co-workers for happy hour, viewing it as a chance to have fun and build camaraderie and team spirit. For others, however, the thought might fill them with dread. at is why manag- ers must consider how people view an activity that they may ostensibly intend to be fun before, during and after the activity. Our research has identified a range of factors that affect the way peo- ple judge events to be fun or not. 1. Make fun voluntary e more voluntary an activity, the more likely it is people will see it as fun and enjoy participating. But that means truly voluntarily, as opposed to an ac- tivity that is technically voluntary, but where people still feel pressure to en- gage in some way. 2. Fun from the top Workers are also likely to value fun in the workplace more highly if manag- ers and leaders are supportive of fun. In simple terms, it is the difference between a manager who, as everyone runs to the break room to have birthday cake, signals "great, let's all go and cele- brate and then we will get back to work", and one that mutters "here we go again, people are going to get distracted and we will lose 30 minutes of work time". As organic fun is more effective than manufactured fun, it makes sense for managers to create an environment where employees initiate and organise various fun activities as much as possi- ble, as opposed to managers and leaders driving it from the top down. Pressure of work is also a factor. Em- ployees with a heavy workload may view fun events as obstacles in their schedule. 3. Recognise different personalities Personality traits are important. Opti- mistic people with a positive approach to life are more likely to treat fun activi- ties favourably. Organisations that have a strong culture of fun and believe in the benefits of hiring people that fit the cul- ture of their organisation are more like- ly to have employees who share fun as a common value. ose employees are more likely to have a positive perspec- tive on fun events. 4. Types of fun e type of activity makes a differ- ence. e research I've mentioned sug- gest events involving food, celebrations of personal milestones and workplace outings are best received. Avoid events where people risk making a fool of themselves in front of their co-workers. But companies can also design physi- cal spaces that are conducive to social- ising and interaction in the workplace (yes, even on work time). ey can also use onboarding and newcomer orientation as an opportuni- ty to show that the organisation is open to fun and wants to foster those types of interaction. It may be worthwhile to al- low an employee to specifically champi- on fun in the workplace and take a lead on those activities. Millennials and Generation Z are the leaders, managers and workers of the coming decades. ey are characterised by a willingness to blur the boundaries between work and non-work and a de- sire to be their authentic selves in their working lives. ey are also mobile and restless. When it comes to the competi- tion for talent and building great teams with engaged workforces, those organi- sations that provide an environment in which employees are able to have some fun are likely to have the last laugh. Why every company needs a Chief Fun Officer