According to Bob Pike, author of “The Fun Minute Manager,” bosses should strive to create an office culture that is fun, productive, and profitable. He adds that having fun at work reduces employee turnover, increases creativity and innovation, and is good for the bottom line.

A fun work environment is one in which formal and informal activities occur regularly that are designed to lift people’s spirits and remind them of their value to the organization. This can be done through the use of humor, games, celebrations, or recognition of achievements.

For managers and employees alike looking for ways to bring more lightness to the workplace, here are five ideas you can start implementing right away:

Establish a daily routine to energize the office in the afternoon

Most people need an energy boost in the afternoon. At Microsoft they play loud music at three o’clock when everyone’s energy starts to wane: some people get up and dance and everyone claps when the song ends. In another office they spin around in their chairs for thirty seconds around two in the afternoon. Another idea is to take a short coffee break where you can watch a short stand-up comedy routine on DVD in the cafeteria.

Bring some fun to meetings

In the book “The Levity Effect: Why It Pays to Liven Up,” Adrian Gostick and Scott Christopher explain that researchers reported that humor during meetings was found to “facilitate a transition from a feeling of tension and defensiveness to a realization relatively safe.” And joy”.

Some companies start their meeting with a Laughter Yoga session to encourage people to relax and present their best ideas. Other companies make sure food and candy are available during meetings. Still others provide paper and crayons and other fun accessories, like slinkys and play dough.

Have friendly competitions

There are many companies that put up a basketball court in the parking lot so that employees can have basketball tournaments during their lunch hour. Others send an email with a brain teaser or brain teaser every Monday and offer a small prize to the first person to solve it. Still others have pie-eating contests, darts contests, or office chair relay races.

Celebrate important events and milestones

It is important to celebrate the achievement of personal and company milestones. Get together once a month in a restaurant or pub and congratulate each other on birthdays, weight loss, kicking the nicotine habit, or meeting your company’s sales quota. Employees need to feel that the company is aware of their achievements and that management is interested in their personal goals.

Create a humor bulletin board

Create a humor bulletin board and hang it in a conspicuous place. Look for cartoons and jokes that poke fun at the circumstances that cause negativity or conflict in the office. You can also encourage people to bring in funny vacation photos or images of their children or pets looking funny. Candid employee photos are also a fun addition to the humor bulletin board.

Conclusion

A fun environment is part of a high-trust environment, and building trust among employees is vital for a company that wants to succeed. Trust makes employees loyal and keeps them focused on the organization’s core goals and values. In addition, humor stimulates creativity and helps in problem solving. In today’s economy, a creative workforce is a powerful asset. What other ways can you think of to bring more fun, humor and lightness to the workplace?