My team laughs often during a typical day, and I love being around my team. I love working from home as well, but I miss the “fun” at the office. I wasn’t in the office the day before Halloween when my colleagues all dressed like Dan, a colleague who has a bit of a Steve Jobs-type wardrobe.
The team works hard and they often work late at night on projects, even when not on deadline. They do this often without being asked. They do this because they are engaged. They are very smart people who work very hard; yet, they also like to have fun.
You can’t be silly or fun all the time. There is a need to be focused for most of the day. Yet, you can still make the environment fun without playing games. At different points in my career, I’ve been the serious leader, creating an all-work atmosphere. Even now, I do that for short stints. In all my experience, I have found the fun environment creates more success than the overly serious environment.
Consider these three reasons to encourage fun at work:
- If you aren’t motivated by what you’re working on, it won’t be very good.
- If you love your work, you’ll want to do more work.
- Engagement trumps raw talent, and a fun environment creates engagement.
As always, balance is important. Work is about accomplishments and delivering value. The idea of having fun at work can ensure you get the most out of yourself and your staff as long as you keep it in balance.
Have fun and work hard!
