Be Creative in Making Your Company a Place Where It Is Fun To Work

Houston Business Journal
October 15, 2004

by Adam Nisenson

Are the company's employees having fun? Certainly no one comes to work doing cartwheels, but managers can take a look at the way employees come to work. Is their tone of voice upbeat and confident, or is it downtrodden and defeated? What kind of body signals are they giving off?

It doesn't take a psychologist to figure out if employees are having fun and feel a sense of connection to the workplace. A manager can see it in their eyes, in their speech and in the way they present themselves when they arrive for work.

While a bigger paycheck is certain to give anyone a temporary boost, the benefits of an increase in pay outside of a traditional promotion or pay raise may have limited benefits. The fact is, if an employee doesn't want to come to work, no amount of money will make the situation any better.

Employees want to feel as if management values their ideas, they want to be productive and be a part of something special.

The good news is that a company can establish a work environment that can be the envy of others, without adding to its payroll expenses and without shelling out more money for benefits. All it takes is some time and creativity.

Following are five suggestions to help get the ball rolling.

Rally the Troops. Employees feel empowered when their ideas are heard and implemented. Every month, appoint one or more people to be in charge of teambuilding activity ideas. Have those assigned to this task come up with ideas for nonwork related team activities, anything from a pot luck lunch to a softball game. The rest of the team votes on their favorite, and management follows through. It's that easy.
Don't be afraid of a little competition either, pitting the team against the "boss." For example, the standing rule at bowling night with the team at Active Imagination is that whomever has a better score than the head of the company earns a paid day off from work.

Personalize the Workplace. Coming into a stale office or cubicle doesn't encourage a great start. If it would be conducive to client interaction and work productivity, get creative with physical space.
Try using an air hockey table as a conference table by day and as a fun break in the afternoon. Hang dry erase walls throughout offices, where employees can write on the walls, make their mark and contribute to a continuous idea generation.

If these kinds of physical changes won't work for the type of business, think on a smaller scale. Gather the group at lunch, bring frames, and have everyone decorate their own frame for their own childhood photo.

Or, spend a few minutes in the morning over kolaches and donuts decorating coffee mugs. The personalized coffee mugs can remain at the office.

Activities like these bring together the team, encourage interaction and create conversation pieces that circulate at work and are cause for ongoing conversation.

Leave the Office Behind. "Field trips" help keep teams fresh. Yes, they may cut into productive time, but a half-day outing will most likely revive the team and stimulate productivity.
If the business deals in art or creative work, spend a morning at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. Then, discuss favorite pieces. Realtor groups can spend a few hours at the Houston Zoo, people-watching. Discuss how families interact and how that might translate to home buying needs. Whatever the business, think creatively and the staff will get a lot from a periodic outing.

Teambuilding On The Cheap. Look to nonprofit organizations for ideas -- fun run involvement, volunteering, etc. The Child Advocates' Racing For the Children Grand Prix, for instance, is a great way for the team to build a car and compete together. Don't dismiss outings like Astros games for a fun evening involving families of team members.
Involve Key Clients. Clients most often prioritize the personalized attention they get by working with a smaller firm. Further, involving them in some of the company's "fun" activities can only lead to positive results.
Designate a pot-luck lunch Friday, where each team member draws a country out of a hat and must bring a dish native to that country -- or invite staff members to bring a dish from their own heritage. Inviting key clients over for that meal will make it sure to spark a unique bond.

Nearly one-third of most people's lives are spent at work. That's why employees time and again say the best places to work are those which invest time and energy into teambuilding. Create an enjoyable overall environment. Employers who invest in their staff invest in the health and longevity of their companies.

Adam Nisenson is a principal at Active Imagination, a graphic design/marketing and video production firm.