{"id":53746,"date":"2022-05-25T11:20:37","date_gmt":"2022-05-25T15:20:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/?p=53746"},"modified":"2025-01-20T08:09:34","modified_gmt":"2025-01-20T13:09:34","slug":"how-to-incorporate-play-at-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/how-to-incorporate-play-at-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How You Can Incorporate Play at Work"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Happy people are productive at work. They are also more loyal to your business, and they typically have lower stress levels. All of these qualities can increase performance levels, which benefits the bottom line. That\u2019s why many organizations have moved to incorporate play at work&#8230; and why you should do the same!<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p>Research shows that \u201cfun can increase effectiveness and productivity at work,\u201d as Bright HR\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.brighthr.com\/it-pays-to-play-report.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">It Pays to Play report<\/a> put it. Their study suggests, \u201cnotions of \u2018fun\u2019 and \u2018play\u2019 at work [are] becoming increasingly important to workers who want to be creative, committed and motivated \u2013 especially among your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/young-professionals-seeking-meaningful-careers-add-to-banking-talent-gap\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">younger employees<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p>The top five activities thought to make a workplace more fun are:<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>Dress down Friday (25%)<\/li>\n<li>Office parties\/nights out (21%)<\/li>\n<li>A pool table (19%)<\/li>\n<li>An office pet (18%)<\/li>\n<li>Wellbeing massage days (17%)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>(Though surely more people would have selected massage days if they\u2019d thought of that as an option!)<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p>Still, other than the pool table, these fun options don\u2019t get at how to incorporate play at work. Below are a few additional options to consider.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dylan-nolte-RSsqjpezn6o-unsplash.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-53748\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dylan-nolte-RSsqjpezn6o-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A lottery pit is a fun way to incorporate play at work\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dylan-nolte-RSsqjpezn6o-unsplash-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dylan-nolte-RSsqjpezn6o-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dylan-nolte-RSsqjpezn6o-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dylan-nolte-RSsqjpezn6o-unsplash-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dylan-nolte-RSsqjpezn6o-unsplash-50x33.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2>Lottery syndicate<\/h2>\n<p>This is a popular way for people to play together at work. Buying one lottery ticket as an individual, you face incredible odds against your big win. But when a workplace team clubs their lottery tickets, agreeing to share any potential lottery prize, they gain a way to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/how-to-give-employees-interesting-challenging-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">form new bonds<\/a>, playfully. There\u2019s also the escape mechanism of dreaming of what people might do with the winnings.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2>Sports<\/h2>\n<p>Playing sports together benefits <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/benefits-people-first-culture\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">company culture<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.vantagefit.io\/sports-and-wellness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">releases endorphins<\/a>, allowing employees\u00a0 to enjoy healthier work lives. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inc.com\/business-insider\/best-google-benefits.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google<\/a> famously offers employees access to beach volleyball and bowling on its main campus. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/health\/work-hard-play-harder-fun-at-work-boosts-creativity-productivity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn\u2019s<\/a> employees get to play foosball and ping pong.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p>The Toronto-based accounting software company Freshbooks takes fun seriously, too. They invite \u201cFreshbookers\u201d to a children\u2019s camp for a weekend every June to bring their families along and play.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p>Provide access to indoor, outdoor, team and individual sports so that everyone from the most talented athlete to the office\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/employee-engagement-for-introverts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">introvert<\/a>\u00a0has an opportunity to take part on their own terms.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2>Computer game consoles<\/h2>\n<p>The festival-focused Emazing Group includes video game competitions in its all-hands meetings. \u201cOur employees really appreciate our playful culture,&#8221; CEO Brian Lim told American Express.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p>Or you might take the old school route. Global interactive entertainment company Zynga has arcades in its offices. They also invite fun into the work environment by welcoming four-legged co-workers. No wonder that\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.greatplacetowork.com\/certified-company\/1289229\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">95% of employees<\/a> agree that it&#8217;s a great place to work, compared to 57% at a typical U.S.-based company.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2>Fantasy football league<\/h2>\n<p>Fantasy football is a big deal. Even in a press release acknowledging the costs to companies of the time spent on league planning, John A. Challenger, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.challengergray.com\/blog\/fantasy-football-could-cost-13b-should-you-care\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CEO of Challenger, Gray &amp; Christmas<\/a>, said \u201can across-the-board ban on all fantasy football or sports websites is likely to backfire and cause a drop in morale, loyalty and, ironically, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/lighten-up-the-impact-of-light-on-productivity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">productivity<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p>In Challenger\u2019s study, 40% of employees being able to participate in a fantasy football league had a positive influence. This playful practice also helped increase camaraderie with other employees and introduced them to a new valuable business contact.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2>Board games<\/h2>\n<p>Putting out a chess board or another game that gets employees thinking in a different way improves their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inc.com\/kenny-kline\/5-reasons-why-you-should-allow-playtime-in-the-office.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cognitive function<\/a>. Having Scrabble, Boggle, Risk, or Clue available to employees allows them to take a break and build better problem-solving skills and enhance creativity.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cAll sorts of creative new connections are made when you\u2019re playing that otherwise would never be made.\u201d \u2014 Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2>Nerf gun wars<\/h2>\n<p>At <a href=\"https:\/\/fireflyteamevents.com\/blog\/nerf-battle-office-team-building\/\">FireFly Team Events<\/a>, nerf gun battles add an element of surprise to the office. One participant noted, \u201ctypically they only last long enough for the largest of the guns to run out of bullets (3-5 minutes MAX), which means they heighten spirits in short timeframes.\u201d Plus, &#8220;they are also amusing for those that do not participate in them.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p>As another participant observed, \u201cThey bring some light-heartedness into the environment and in a small way they can make you feel more like a team\u2026 depending on who is shooting at who.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/sebastian-herrmann-M-ecv1ju6aM-unsplash.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-53750\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/sebastian-herrmann-M-ecv1ju6aM-unsplash-1024x783.jpg\" alt=\"Dance breaks are a fun way to incorporate play at work\" width=\"1024\" height=\"783\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/sebastian-herrmann-M-ecv1ju6aM-unsplash-1024x783.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/sebastian-herrmann-M-ecv1ju6aM-unsplash-300x229.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/sebastian-herrmann-M-ecv1ju6aM-unsplash-768x587.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/sebastian-herrmann-M-ecv1ju6aM-unsplash-50x38.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2>Dance Breaks<\/h2>\n<p>Debora Balardini noticed her employees forgetting to have fun during the day, so she started throwing on a song to dance along with. She told Amex, \u201cat first people felt a little awkward about it, but they soon started to enjoy it because it had so many benefits.&#8221; It\u2019s now a daily occurrence at her event space and performance management company.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p>Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nifplay.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Institute for Play<\/a>, points out that play doesn\u2019t have to be active and competitive. Setting action figures or tactile puzzles out on a conference table helps to lower meeting intensity.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p>Having a karaoke machine in the office once a month on a late Friday afternoon is another form of play. So is encouraging people to wear costumes (like spirit week from your school days). Or inviting them to wear fancy, formal attire to work.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p>The goal is to let people do what makes them happy. Encourage unstructured time. Support creativity and people taking a break by finding ways to support play in your work environment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2>Bringing play into the workday<\/h2>\n<p>Now that you know the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/play-at-work\/\">benefits of work play<\/a>, and how to incorporate play at work, you\u2019ll be ready to start playing. However, there are still some cautions to consider before going all-in incorporating play in your work environment. That\u2019s next in this series, so stay tuned!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Happy people are productive at work. They are also more loyal to your business, and they typically have lower stress levels. All of these qualities can increase performance levels, which benefits the bottom line. That\u2019s why many organizations have moved to incorporate play at work&#8230; and why you should do the same! Research shows that \u201cfun can increase effectiveness and productivity at work,\u201d as Bright HR\u2019s It Pays to Play report put it. Their study suggests, \u201cnotions of \u2018fun\u2019 and \u2018play\u2019 at work [are] becoming increasingly important to workers who want to be creative, committed and motivated \u2013 especially among your younger employees.\u201d The top five activities thought to make a workplace more fun are: Dress down Friday (25%) Office parties\/nights out (21%) A pool table (19%) An office pet (18%) Wellbeing massage days (17%) (Though surely more people would have selected massage days if they\u2019d thought of that as an option!) Still, other than the pool table, these fun options don\u2019t get at how to incorporate play at work. Below are a few additional options to consider. Lottery syndicate This is a popular way for people to play together at work. Buying one lottery ticket as an individual, you face incredible odds against your big win. But when a workplace team clubs their lottery tickets, agreeing to share any potential lottery prize, they gain a way to form new bonds, playfully. There\u2019s also the escape mechanism of dreaming of what people might do with the winnings. Sports Playing sports [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":5040,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,156],"tags":[756,164,552,793,822,823],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.7.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How You Can Incorporate Play at Work - Sogolytics Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Play at work can foster positive emotions which can reduce stress, improve productivity, and increase loyalty. 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