Is your office as fun as you think it is?
(This is the fourth in a series of self-assessment articles on defining workplace culture. Click here to go to main article.)
The definition of fun varies, particularly when it comes to the workplace. Any manager, if asked, will insist that their work atmosphere includes and encourages fun. They do this because they fear that evidence to the contrary will repel prospective applicants.
First of all, that is not always the case—many employees are task-oriented, and prefer an environment where their co-workers are equally on task. Being up-front about this need will put you in touch with employees that will naturally fit in.
Secondly, saying your environment is fun may lead job-seekers to believe they’re getting something they’re not, leading to job dissatisfaction, poor performance, and the eventual need to find a replacement.
It’s important to define “fun” to make sure employees know what they’re getting, so that you find people who are comfortable with the definition.
Questions to ask yourself: (Remember, there are no right or wrong answers.)
What are some examples of things you do in the workplace to keep things fun? Does fun mean the occasional knock-knock joke during a meeting, or e-mail forward with pictures of cats? Is hitting others in the face with a pie encouraged? These are extreme examples that clearly indicate different definitions of the word fun.
Is the fun incorporated into the work? Remember, not all “fun” activities detract from the workload. An office in Chatsworth, CA used to hold competitions between teams to see who could fund the most loans. Winners earned a lobster lunch. Productivity was at its peak, but employees still had a good time. On the other hand, hitting co-workers in the face with a pie in the middle of a lunch shift may be hilarious and improve morale, but tell that to the angry group of diners who must wait 20 minutes while their server dunks his head in the sink.
How do employees relate to one another? Are your workers friends, or do they mostly stick to themselves and only engage politely? Are meetings formal and to-the-point, or is it sometimes difficult to settle people down due to all the chatting? Are employees seen as stand-offish and non-team-players if they keep to themselves? Or are overly-friendly people seen as distractions, and lazy?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how fun are you? With pie-hitting being a 10 and awkward knock-knock jokes a 1, where does your workplace fall?
If you automatically say your company “has fun” in order to entice candidates, you are shooting yourself in the foot unless you follow through. Most people don’t see a monthly birthday party as “fun”—that’s the standard in most offices. Really look at the deliberate choices made in your environment to promote a good time at work.
Click here to proceed to next self-assessment article, Employee Value.
Click here to return to main article, Defining Workplace Culture.
