The Power of the Informal

A major part of workplace enjoyment comes from informal interactions. Whether it’s making a friendly bet with a colleague, discussing last night’s game, or starting an impromptu paper-toss competition at the trash can—we are having fun. Play is synonymous with pleasure, whereas “work”—which stems from the Latin tripalium—is historically synonymous with torture. So, how do we transform a chore into a joy?

Building Connections

Playfulness in a professional setting is essential. Play offers numerous social advantages; it boosts team spirit and builds emotional bonds between colleagues. The beauty of workplace fun is that it creates moments for interaction with people we might not see every day. These interpersonal links increase the sense of belonging. Furthermore, play is one of the few instances where hierarchy can be inverted: why not be your boss’s captain, or beat the VP in a game of skill?

When we play, we look for solutions and think differently. During a game, we go through several stages: the start, the obstacles, the small victories, and finally, success or failure. Participants find themselves helping and challenging each other without the daily social barriers of the office.

Physical and Mental Well-being

At Spiniko, we leverage play for its universal and unifying qualities. Sport, for example, has unified national cultures for decades (Les Cultures Sportives, Pociello, 1995). Stimulating your employees’ creativity, concentration, and engagement through different means is a brilliant instinct. When you consider that a happy employee is 31% more productive and 155% more creative (Laurence Vanhée, Founder of Happyformance & LoftOffiz), making work fun becomes an absolute priority.

If you integrated play as a reward or an annual tradition, what kind of results would you see in your employees and their productivity?