July/August 2002

All for Fun and Fun for All

Trust E. Duck isn’t the only bird around who thinks fun is important and worthwhile at work. Business author Tom Peters argues passionately that people need to have a good dose of laughter and enthusiasm in the office. Humor at work has been shown to boost retention, decrease stress, encourage cohesiveness, increase employee creativity, reduce the potential for conflict, and improve communications. Need we say more? Peters believes managers at all organizational levels have a responsibility for creating a “culture of fun.”

Consider Southwest Airlines, whose former CEO, Herb Kelleher, called himself the “High Priest of Ha-Ha.” Southwest looks for recruits with a sense of humor, paints its airplanes with unexpected designs like Shamu the whale, hides flight attendants in luggage racks to surprise customers, and produces rap videos to announce organizational results. Not every manager needs to go that far, but even little things can make a huge difference in promoting a culture of fun.

For example, next time you find yourself talking about being productive, setting goals, and working hard, think about substituting these terms: “Have fun with…, Explore the possibility of…, I encourage you to…, Be inventive…, Enjoy yourself while…, Use the time freely…, View this as a game in which you…, Play around with this…, or Don’t worry about making mistakes…” Studies have found that simply changing your vocabulary can produce a profound impact on employee reactions. But that’s just one idea. Read on for more.

Make Every Day Fun

In an effort to infuse more joy into the workplace, we must be careful to avoid one pitfall: compartmentalizing fun. Fun should be woven into the fabric of the workplace; it should not be viewed as some tool that we pull out of a dusty box when morale is low.

“There are companies that will try this as a program—like ‘Send an e-mail out that we’re all having fun today,’” says one vice president at a computer company. But holding an annual pizza party or barbecue will not do the trick. Fun needs to be an intrinsic part of work.

And these days, with a sliding stock market, terrorist fears, and dwindling trust in U.S. business, we need fun more than ever. Consider that three in four high school students surveyed said that having a fun job was more important than making lots of money or doing challenging work. If the new generation of workers deems it that important, corporate America better deliver.

Whistle While You Work

At Seattle’s Pike Place Fish Market, one fish stand distinguishes itself from the rest. Does it stand out by offering the best and freshest fish in the market? Not necessarily. Does it have the lowest prices? Not really. What makes this sales stand so wildly popular and successful? According to the authors of Fish, it all boils down to the employees’ cheerful, fun-loving attitude. The sellers engage and welcome customers—they toss fish back and forth, cajole customers and get them involved, and try to make buyers’ visits memorable.

One fish monger says there are four secrets to their fun-loving spirit:

1 - Attitude. Considering the smelly and messy business they are in, the fish sellers could be grouchy all day. Who could blame them? Instead, they choose to be upbeat and enjoy themselves.

2 - Play. Work and play don’t have to be mutually exclusive. The fish mongers toss fish, make the fish heads “talk,” and have fun with customers. Playing at work and letting your sense of humor shine through is fun and energizing.

3 - Make their day. Making your customers’ day by welcoming and involving them is a critical part of having fun at work. After all, a playful attitude works best when you can share it.

4 - Be present. It’s as simple as it sounds: Be engaged and be attentive to your work.

It’s an Attitude

Many seniors nearing retirement literally count the days till they can say good-bye to life at work. Others, however, seem to enjoy their last days at work just as much as the early days of their careers. What’s the difference? Simply a positive outlook, say experts. One psychiatrist says it’s all about rolling with the punches. Or as one senior citizen still on the job says, “The key to successful aging is being adaptable.”

It may sound oversimplified, but a look at some seniors who defy the stereotypes of old age, supports this theory. One 75-year-old manager, for example, says his positive outlook has many thinking he’s not a day over 55. And an 81-year-old fitness instructor, who still works full time, says setting daily goals and trying to reach them, helps her maintain a positive outlook. While some argue that good physical health is what keeps people young, experts say mental attitude plays an equally important, if not more important, role in aging. As one doctor explains, strong muscles mean nothing when someone is depressed or anxious. Their performance and outlook suffer.

Robert Kahn and John Rowe, authors of Successful Aging, say low risk of disease, high mental and physical abilities, and the desire to actively engage with others are the three keys to successful aging. Experts say self-discipline, a sense of purpose, and an active lifestyle, rich with friends and community service, also help seniors maintain a positive disposition and love of work.

Looking for Friends

When businesses reorganize and downsize, employees become upset about their lost wages and benefits, but they also miss something else: their workplace friends. Workplace comrades do much more than share office space—they offer a sympathetic ear, a chance to share life’s joys and sorrows, and an enduring bond that remains long after the job is over.

A survey after the September 11 attacks indicated just how valuable human connections are at work. The survey found that employees’ commitment to remain with the same employer reached a five-year high after a five-year low in March 2001. But do workplace friendships really have an impact on the bottom line? Yes, according to research by the Gallup organization, which found that “having a best friend at work” was one of the top employee circumstances that helped raise productivity. Experts say because employees often spend more time on the job than at home, they look for “psychological kin” at work. Workplace friends often provide encouragement, constructive critiques, and a helping hand. Outside the office, they often offer the same type of friendship and support to their coworkers. Experts say organizations should help employees foster those bonds, for the sake of everyone’s emotional and mental health, not to mention the bottom line.

A Culture of Fun

Like the Seattle fish mongers, employees at Amy’s Ice Cream know the value of fun at work. The shop’s “culture of fun” makes it stand out from the crowd. When you enter the store, you don’t get just ice cream. You get entertainment. Employees juggle their serving spoons, toss scoops of ice cream, and dance on counter-tops. If there’s a line out the door, employees might offer free ice cream to customers who are willing to sing, dance, or recite a poem.

With more and more competitors opening up in the area, the owner of Amy’s knew her company needed something extra to attract customers. But a culture of fun isn’t only about customers. It’s also about employees. One Minnesota company, for example, keeps its turnover rate low by maintaining lakefront vacation homes for employee use. (A Duck ® could get used to that!) Another company in Illinois has a monthly stump-the-CEO contest, where employees try to win prizes by posing the toughest questions to the chief. The message to employees: Questions are important, and we all -even the CEO- should be accountable.

Companies with such strong cultures have a huge edge over their competitors. Employees care more about their jobs and performing well. The open, creative atmosphere encourages communication and risk taking. Plus, a strong corporate culture is something that is uniquely yours; no other business can take it away or replicate it.

A Balancing Act

It seems we can’t discuss fun at work without considering fun at home. After all, how can a person truly enjoy work if he doesn’t benefit from the restorative effects of family time? It all comes down to balance. Is it possible to balance work and family life? Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, answers with a resounding yes. In fact, he goes so far as to say that managers won’t succeed at business if they continue to miss family events. Productivity and sales will both increase once fulfillment is found inside the home.

“The place to start is not with the assumption that work is nonnegotiable; it’s with the assumption that family is nonnegotiable,” says Covey. Managers who believe family, work, community, and friends are all important, must establish that belief as their personal mission statement, and then live by it.

What about the notion that there simply isn’t enough time for both? Not true, says Covey. Poorly held meetings are one of the greatest obstacles that keep managers from their staff and families. Covey holds most of his meetings over the phone and recommends holding others standing up. Managers must continually decide what’s urgent and what’s important. “Urgency is when the environment presses upon you; importance comes from within you,” explains Covey. “Most of the meetings, most of the reports, most of the interactions are urgent, not important.” Creating an empowering organization also makes a difference. Good parents and managers work on the basis of principles, says Covey. The more you uphold your principles and the more you empower employees, the better servant leader you become.