Socialising after Work

Should you meet up with colleagues outside of work? And should fun be implemented in the workplace? That is often something that both employees and managers worry about.

Many companies remain opposed to the idea and wish to keep work and pleasure separate in order to increase productivity. However, productivity does not decrease when fun is implemented. On the contrary, research has shown that a fun and social work environment is a crucial factor in job satisfaction resulting in happy employees, who are more productive than those who are not happy.

To some, a fun work environment sounds like slacking off but socialising and having fun with coworkers has many benefits. Fun activities not only help boost morale and create a positive culture, they also helps the employees to create a bond and foster a camaraderie that can improve their teamwork. Thus, a fun work environment can, under the right circumstances, benefit both your employees and organization.

Having a fun work environment can also be a great promotion and branding tool. Some of the world’s most successful organizations use their fun work environment in order to attract and recruit new employees as well as a retention strategy.Since a large part of our lives today is dedicated to our careers and spent in the workplace, implementing fun into the workplace and socialising with coworkers can add to the overall quality of life. Organizations that provide a more fun work environment will attract and retain the most talented candidates out there and thus experience a big boost in employee happiness, retention, and in the end productivity.

It all depends on how you implement fun. As the saying goes “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy - All play and no work makes Jack a mere toy”. Thus, the key is to find a compromise that suits everyone.

If you are looking to make your work environment a friendlier and ultimately more productive place, you could try having company outings. A trip to the local fair, a scavenger hunt or a sports game are great options that facilitate bonding. One of the best ways to enable bonding is a little friendly competition. Soccer, bowling, and basketball are popular sports that some companies have teams for. Additionally, sporting leagues are a great way to come together and cheer for one another.

This past Sunday Smartplan’s employees participated together in the annual SMUK 5k run. We had a great experience and enjoyed a little friendly competition of who could finish first.