Fun at work can take many forms depending on the organization and the individual.  Take my husband and me for example.  This week we both had fun at work.

Outward Fun

His fun came through a quality and teambuilding conference he attended.  One evening after dinner together they all went go-cart racing.  He had a blast trying to defend his winning title from last year. While his fun at work was more outwardly visible – people having a good time by laughing, joking and playing together – my fun was more of what I would describe inward fun.  Both ways are about feeling good!

Inward Fun

Usually when it’s nap or quiet time with my boys, I rush to the computer to get work done.  This morning I decided to have fun at work. My son Garrett fell asleep in the car and instead of getting out of the car myself when I arrived home, I stayed in the car.  I rolled open my sun roof to enjoy the warmth of the sun on this beautiful Minnesota summer day. I reclined my chair, shut my eyes and listened to the wisdom of one of my favorite spiritual teachers, Dr. Wayne Dwyer.  I had so much fun just “being” and soaking in all the light and enlightenment into my soul.  When Garrett woke up we proceeded to cool off in the backyard swinging together in the hammock. On the hammock I felt great as I reflected on all the things I was grateful for my life, smiled at my son and wrote this entry in my mind.  This is the kind of work is fun to me!

Fun becomes  world famous

An organization that is world famous for having fun at work is Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle.  How they became world famous was the intention to be and had fun living up to it along the way.  On the road of becoming world famous, the fishmongers crated a philosophy to guide them.  An important part of their philosophy is to “Play” and have a good time at work.  A training video company filmed this amazing, high-energy and spirited workplace and called the video Fish.  Since then their company culture has become a model for other organizations. Pike Place Fish is now used as a case study in business schools and universities. There are at least four books that have been published about Pike Place Fish, one an international best-seller. They are the subject of the best selling training videos and DVDs in the world.

Fun is the work

Leslie Yerkes, author of a couple of books about having fun at work, states that fun isn’t the prize at work, but is the work.  “When fun is integrated with work instead of segmented from work, the resultant fusion creates energy; it cements relationships between coworkers and between workers and the company.  When fun is integrated into work, it fosters creativity and results in improved performance.”

How will you infuse fun into your work?

Janae Bower is an inspirational speaker, award-winning author and training consultant. She founded Finding IT, a company that specializes in personal and professional development getting to the heart of what matters most.