If it seems Like Work – Try & Make it Fun!

HR can make the Workplace more Lively, Happier and even Fun…

The Human Resources department is perceived at times as the place in a company where fun goes to die. And we’ve all heard the old expression about working – that it’s called ‘work’ for a reason – if it was ‘fun’ – it would be called that. Well in today’s career reality of telecommuting and frequent job hopping, making the workplace more lighthearted and open to a bit more of a creative and humorous approach makes for happier employees which leads to better productivity and longer tenure too!

“HR can create a culture of fun at work,” says Andrew Tarvin on humorthatworks.com. Human resources can initiate a fun work culture by setting the tone and leading by example. Ideas include using creative imagery in forms and paperwork, adding a humor section to company newsletters, hanging a bulletin board encouraging employees to add creative postings to share, and incorporating a game or contest into training sessions.

The benefits of a more engaging workplace are varied and can be instrumental in the long term health of an organization. HR can have a huge impact on turnover and productivity through the encouragement of fun in the workplace. By passing along the message that a good sense of humor is valued at an organization, and stressing that fact starting when an employee is ‘onboarded’; a culture of levity can be achieved. For instance, the mayor of one large American city has gone as far as to make ‘sense of humor’ part of the job requirement when filling positions – seeking fun people to hire.

Creating and maintaining a fun workplace atmosphere in itself may seem like work – but those efforts can be fun (and rewarding) too. Fostering an environment of integrity and trust is integral to people relaxing at work and feeling at ease. Managers and HR professionals should seek out the advice of their staffs for input about how to improve the office setting – integrating fun and creativity to raise morale and company spirit. Having team meetings with groups of colleagues – round-table discussions – open to the free exchange of new ideas and incentives on how to establish a sustainable morale-boosting office environment – can lead to insightful realizations and a wealth of innovative ideas.

“Fun jobs aren’t just for the very lucky; believe it or not, most ‘regular jobs’ can be turned into ‘fun jobs’ with some tweaking,” so says Stress Management Expert Elizabeth Scott on AboutHealth.com. Of course what makes a job enjoyable and interesting depends a lot upon the individual. Using creativity and positivity when approaching one’s tasks, and getting others to do the same, goes a long way towards promoting a healthy work environment.