Workday—Yours: Go Ahead—Make It Fun!

Q. I work for a good company and I like my job. But the day-after-day routine can get boring, and it’s sometimes hard to keep enthusiasm high, especially in these difficult times of economic and personal safety issues. Any ideas? — Marion T.

A. Any time we can put more fun into an activity, we do it better, and with more enthusiasm. Look for ways to put more fun in your workday. If others are also feeling bored and lack enthusiasm for the job, talk to your supervisor and see if you can bring up the topic at the next department meeting. You may find you have a lot of support. Get the others involved brainstorming ideas to fire up more job enthusiasm. Some ideas:

Luncheon speakers.

Invite people to come in to talk or entertain during

lunchtime. Many local people will grab at the chance for an audience, with their only

reward being their ability to put up a poster or leave their business cards. Consider singers, musicians, entertainers, magicians, choruses, dancers, and hobby enthusiasts and investment specialists for starters.

Coupon Days.

Invite people to bring in grocery coupons they don’t want and put them on a big table. Everyone is free to take any coupons on the table. For convenience, you might label the sections: frozen foods; health aids; cleaners; grocery; snacks; paper goods, for example.

Performance Awards.

Manager of the Year; Newcomer of…; Most Valuable Team

Player of…; Key Contributor of…” Use awards like these to recognize people in departments, divisions, product groups, etc. Make sure employees help develop the award criteria, and that voting is anonymous to avoid any suggestion of favoritism.

Create Special Crossword Puzzles.

Base them on new products, safety rules, new policies—anything relevant to the company. Put them in the company newsletter or maybe as special handouts. But be prepared for people being so interested in them that they stop work to do them. (I once did this as editor of an employee newsletter, and got a few complaints from supervisors that some employees were doing the puzzles instead of working.) I said, “Yes, but they’re also reading the employee newsletter immediately, instead of throwing it out.”

Hold Meetings in Homes.

Holding quarterly planning meetings in homes of staff members can be a welcome change. In good weather, the patio works fine. With plenty of food and (soft) drinks in a relaxed atmosphere, you’ll be surprised at how much good work gets done. Rotate the sites each quarter, and arrange it so everyone stays afterwards to clean and pick up.

Play Continuously Running Games.

Games like chess, bridge, Monoply, Trivial Pursuit can run daily at lunch time if there’s an area where you can keep the games set up. Computer versions of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Wheel of Fortune, Dungeons and Dragons, and Jeopardy can be played by several people linked by the same computer network. Playing these games can be great stress-relievers for a few minutes each day—allowing staff to let off steam, then get back to work with a fresher outlook.

Enjoy Cartoons.

Put them on walls; attach them to memos to make a point; use them in training sessions; in employee handbooks; in waiting areas. People will read them before anything else, so they’re a great way to make a point.

Look for Ways to Use Humor.

Speaking at meetings, chatting over lunch or on break, writing internal memos—these are just a few opportunities to use humor and brighten other people’s days, as well as your own. One good e-source I discovered is ashleighbrilliant.com, which creates postcard-sized cartoons and sayings called “Pot Shots.” You can choose from more than 8000 items for 25¢ each and send them to those you work with.

Dress Up Your Office.

Have a spiff-up-the-office contest and award prizes for the most creative, innovative, fun offices. This gets people out of their cubes and talking to others. Keep it light-hearted: a summer theme in winter; Mardi-Gras theme; Celebrate Groundhog Day.

Secret Office Pal.

Submit your name in a grab-bag and draw another’s in return. Then leave messages, little appreciations each day for that person. At the end of a set time (two weeks or three weeks) bring the group together to reveal their office pal.

Workplace Garage Sale.

Bring in items you don’t want, and set them up in a conference room. People browse during lunchtime and purchase items.

Cook-Off Contest.

Different work groups can host this. For example, the IT team does the appetizers, while the quality group has main entrees, and the financial group has desserts. Have the entire office participate in the tasting finals, and award winners in each category.

You get the idea………..be creative, get everyone involved, and have fun!