When you read the title above you’d think the obvious response would be Yes – when it comes to the workplace and the office, a serious business needs a serious office – but you’d be wrong – it’s more complex than a simple Yes or No. Of course the office is the place for serious business however workplace fun could equally be described as a serious business too! Let us explain…
We know from numerous studies and research that employees who are less stressed at work are more likely to be happier and healthier and as a consequence they’ll also be more productive. Making your workplace a more enjoyable place to be and where employees look forward to coming to work can have positive benefits for employee and employer. Here are the reasons why fun should be part of your office and how your office refurbishment can help to make your workplace a fun place to be.
Fun Improves Productivity
A study carried out by Professor Andrew Oswald, Dr Eugenio Proto and Dr Daniel Sgroi from the Department of Economics in the University of Warwick found that we work harder when we are happy. They found happiness made people around 12% more productive.
Professor Andrew Oswald explains: “Companies like Google have invested more in employee support and employee satisfaction has risen as a result. For Google, it rose by 37%, they know what they are talking about. Under scientifically controlled conditions, making workers happier really pays off.”
Dr Eugenio Proto added: “We have shown that happier subjects are more productive, the same pattern appears in four different experiments. This research will provide some guidance for management in all kinds of organizations, they should strive to make their workplaces emotionally healthy for their workforce.”
According to Oxford University “workers are 13% more productive when happy.” Research carried by Professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve (Saïd Business School, University of Oxford), Doctoral Student George Ward (MIT) and Dr Clement Bellet (Erasmus University Rotterdam) in BT contact centres over 6 months found that “when workers are happier, they work faster by making more calls per hour worked and, importantly, convert more calls to sales.” Professor De Neve said ‘While this clearly in the interest of workers themselves, our analysis suggests it is also in the interests of their employers.’
In another study, published in the Journal of Economics researchers asked the question “Does the stock market fully value intangibles? Employee satisfaction and equity prices”. The study looked at “the relationship between employee satisfaction and long-run stock returns.” They took a value-weighted portfolio of the ‘‘100 Best Companies to Work For in America’’ and found that the top firms that were ranked the best to work for found that “employee satisfaction is positively correlated with shareholder returns and need not represent managerial slack” and showed that the potential cost of raising well-being is more than matched by productivity and increased performance.
Fun Improves Health
As well as improving productivity the office environment also has an impact on staff health and well-being. Given the number of hours at work it should come as no surprise that staff who enjoy their work are also happier.
The number of estimated working days lost due to work-related ill health (and non-fatal workplace injuries) in 2019-2020 was 38.8 million. According to the Health and Safety Executive the majority of days lost due to work-related ill health were as a result of stress, depression or anxiety.
Zecure reports that “employee absenteeism currently costs UK businesses £16.2 billion a year, with that number set to rise to a staggering £26 billion by 2030. This translates to around £500 per employee, and an average of more than 4 annual sick days.”
We know that employees who are less stressed and less anxious are more likely to be happier and as a result are less likely to take time off work due to illness. By taking care of your staff you should see absenteeism decrease and improvements in your staff’s overall health and well-being increase.
Fun Improves Creativity
When something is fun we see it less as work and more as play. When we come to a task with this mindset it makes the work more enjoyable and it’s easier to be more creative, change our thinking, think laterally and come at the task from a different direction; very often resulting in finding a creative solution that may not have occurred to us normally. Fun and play helps to stimulate the imagination, helping us to adapt and encouraging problem solving.
In creative industries fun can play a major role in day to day activities. You don’t have to look far to find companies who have invested in the fun side of their workplaces. Companies like Apple, Google, Disney and Facebook come top of the list of places that people want to work at because these companies know fun and creativity go hand in hand.
Fun Improves Collaboration and Communication
Communication and collaboration are essential for productivity, creativity and innovation and staff are far more likely to communicate and collaborate effectively in a fun and relaxed environment. It’s also easier and more enjoyable working with others in a relaxed, more informal environment which promotes trust, openness and fun.
Incorporating Fun Into Your Office Refurbishment
When it comes to bringing more fun into the office environment the possibilities are endless. Simple ideas like having a dedicated casual break out space with comfortable furniture where staff can get away from the hustle and bustle of their desks to an area where they can relax and rejuvenate before returning to work are always popular.
On the other end of the spectrum you could setup a fun zone with table tennis table, air hockey table, or even a meditation or yoga area can set the tone and make it clear that fun is part of your company culture.
How Can JBH Refurbishments Help?
JBH Refurbishments have over 30 years experience in office refurbishments and can advise on how to bring the fun to your fit out. Contact us on 0333 207 0339 or via our contact page today for a free on site consultation.
