Creativity encourages the team to unify.
Keeping the sign workplace fun allows employees the freedom to bring their personalities to work, which makes them happier. And we all know, happy people are more productive sign making people. The problem with keeping things fun is that it has to come from the top: as the small business owner, that means you. Take the lead, and your employees will follow with a grin on their faces. Here are a few tips for creating a relaxed work environment:
- Ditch the cubicles. If you can't ditch the squares, at least create spaces where workers can mingle. When employees are allowed to interact they can build off of each other and positive moods are infectious. If you are creating the opportunities for interaction make sure and keep the tone positive, with a silly game or a fun activity.
- Don't do the daily grind. If you are going to spend 9 hours a day in one place, you are going to want to enjoy yourself. Sure, business has to be taken seriously at times, but can day to day tasks be made a little more humorous? How about setting up a giant gong employees can ring when they have an announcement or make a sale?
- Be spontaneous. Nobody likes to be forced to have fun. (Think of family picnics with grandma forcing you to enter the ring toss...) Don't create a fabricated, mechanical fun environment. Do things off the cuff that catch your employees off guard and leave them laughing for days.
- It isn't go big or go home. You don't have to spend a lot of dough to create a fun workspace. While having a ping pong table in the break room and hosting weekly tournaments is an awesome idea, it might not fit for your company (or literally, it might not fit in your break room). What about a dart board? Tack a picture up of the competition, or hey, even of yourself, and award small prizes for the winner. You could even amuse your workers with a simple egg-in-a-spoon race around the office. The point isn't how much you spend, it's how much fun you're having.
- Keep it up. It might take a little while for everyone in the office to catch on to your funny ways. Give it time. When employees realize that the madness is for real, they are likely to lower their guard and let loose a little bit. That is when the real fun can begin.
What ways do you keep things fun around the office?
