Why not have fun in the workplace?

I read a couple of tidbits in the last few days that prompt me to speak for a little bit on why fun in the workplace. I mean, in some ways it seems counter-intuitive, and yet, it also makes a lot of sense.

First, this from Larry Lagid, columnist for the Bay Area News Group and occasional commentator for KCBS news in the Bay Area:

"What Facebook and Google offices have in common is that sense of openness and the constant mixture of work and play.
"It's become a Silicon Valley tradition to offer on-sire distractions, ranging from foosball tables to volleyball courts, and to give employees maximum flexibility as to how to use their time.
"There are plenty of people working long and odd hours because - as any aware manager understands - creativity doesn't always strike between 9am and 5pm. Google and Facebook encourage their employees to stay around.
"Sure I've seen Google employees 'waste time' by playing impromptu soccer games on the company's parklike lawns. But when the game is over, they're back at work within minutes and - who knows - there may very well be some creative work getting done in their heads as they play."
(Full link: http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_19640733?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com)


And then there is a group called The Humor Group which has publishes a newsletter and blog and offers a lively series of ideas for incorporating fun into the workplace. What is most interesting and relevant is their client list which includes such organizations as Hewlett-Packard, IBM, New York Library Association, and Walt Disney Co. (Full list available at: http://www.humorproject.com/about/clients.php)

What do these two articles mean for your organization? Simply that your competitors in recruitment and retention have decided to invest time, energy and money to find way to provide a "value-added" experience for their employees through the use of fun in the workplace. (I use fun and humor interchangeably.)

(Here is a link to an article from FastCompany with some ideas they have for fun in the workplace. Fast Company describes themselves as "the world's leading progressive business media brand, with a unique editorial focus on innovation in technology, ethonomics (ethical economics), leadership, and design. Written for, by, and about the most progressive business leaders, Fast Company and FastCompany.com inspire readers and users to think beyond traditional boundaries, lead conversations, and create the future of business."

Please also note the quote embedded in the article. "Yet, research at California State University Long Beach showed that people who have fun at work are more creative, more productive, work better with others and call in sick less often"

And here's the link to the list: http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/tom-stern/my-work-life-balance-sheet/ten-ways-inject-fun-workplace

This is a big deal especially when you think about how to keep and and/or attract the best and brightest. It might could be the kind of work your firm does that attracts them; or the salary and benefits; but isn't it nice to know you can offer something that does not take a big chunk out of the bottom line, is easy to do, and has the potential for such excellent results.