Work doesn’t always have to feel so much like – well – work! As Payscale.com points out, “There’s evidence that people who have fun at work are happier, healthier, motivated, and more productive than their stressed-out counterparts.” Incorporating a variety of fun activities into the work environment can have a very positive impact on the business and its employees!

15 Fun Activities for the Workplace

Ready to bring a little fun into your workplace? Ideas to consider include:

1.Throw a team pride day (casual dress day where employees can wear their favorite sports team t-shirt, display team colors/banners, etc.)

2.Seasonal cubicle/work area decorating contests (football season, major holidays, changing seasons, fun themes, etc.)

3.Designate a table in a corner of the break room for putting together a puzzle (that anyone can join in on)

4.Set up a shelf in the break room with board games and playing cards that employees can use during meal breaks

5.Set up a ‘leave one, take one’ book exchange in the workplace where employees can leave books or magazines they have already read for others to use and choose among what others have read for themselves

6.Host monthly or quarterly employee potluck gatherings with seasonal or other fun themes

7.Company-sponsored community-based sports teams (i.e., a company softball team, a company bowling league, etc.)

8.Host family night off-site activities periodically (such as family night at the ball game, family night at the movies, family night at the community theater, etc.)

9.Throw a quarterly office pizza party for everyone (or barbecue party, taco truck party, etc. – whatever your employees would like)

10.Hold a department-versus-department bowling tournament

11.Periodically vary meeting places – for example, switch up from the conference room to the outside picnic table to indoor or outdoor walking meetings

12.Incorporate friendly team competition into charitable initiatives, such as a contest rewarding the department that brings the most canned food in for the local food bank’s holiday food drive or the department with the most team members participating on the Relay for Life team

13.Organize voluntary break-time, pre-work or post-work exercise groups (walking, stretching, yoga, etc.) that employees can sign up to participate in

14.Sponsor teams to participate in fun community-based activities that support good causes (such as the local chili cook-off or barbecue cook-off fundraisers, etc.)

15.Incorporate fun surprises into team meetings (i.e., periodically hold random drawings for fun prizes, give out new company logo shirts or hats to everyone, bring in seasonal food treats, etc.)

These are just a few ideas to get you started! The sky is the limit when it comes to looking for ways to incorporate a sense of fun into the work environment.

Key Factors to Consider

When picking and planning fun activities for the workplace, it’s important to consider individual differences. Not everyone has the same idea of fun, and not everyone’s workload will allow them to participate in entertaining goings-on at the same time. Schedule a variety of activities that will appeal to differing interests and ensure that participation is optional. Workers shouldn’t be required to join in, nor should they feel pressured to participate or made to feel like they are not part of the team if they don’t.