Employees are the core of any organization. Their contributions are instrumental for organizational success. The employees must be motivated, inspired, and engaged within the workspace for them to be able to deliver the best for the company. According to Gallup, highly engaged companies have a 23% higher profitability than those with low employee engagement. This emphasizes the importance of fun activities for employee engagement in establishing a productive work environment.
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Employee engagement activities include activities that focus on providing employees with a happy and rewarding work environment. These activities go beyond typical daily responsibilities and attempt to develop teamwork and establish a sense of community. Such fun activities can help organizations build a workplace where employees feel valued, motivated and driven.
Fun activities in the office are important as they help to break the stereotypical corporate atmosphere and create a workplace that is fun, where people look forward to coming in every day. Employee engagement activities can influence all aspects of the workplace. It can significantly influence employees, teams they work with, supervisors, and the organization as a whole. It increases collaboration between employees, helps boost morale, and even results in healthier, happier employees.
Some of the major benefits include:
- Increased productivity
- Improved retention
- Better teamwork and collaborations
- Increased innovation
- Higher morale and job satisfaction
Sports tournaments and games in the workplace help establish a sense of unity and team spirit among employees. Team-oriented activities like football, cricket, or other games help to break the workplace hierarchy and enforce better team spirit. Furthermore, a fun workplace leads to a better work environment by lowering stress and increasing employee morale.
Team lunches or potluck events are communal meal experiences that allow coworkers to engage on a more personal level, allowing them to get to know one another outside of the confines of the workplace. Furthermore, the collaborative effort required for potluck gatherings creates a sense of shared responsibility, reinforcing long-term employee satisfaction and engagement.
Recognizing milestones, whether personal or professional, promotes a positive and supportive work environment. Celebrating life milestones such as birthdays, parenthood, etc. is a great way to show your employees that they are valued. It also helps to demonstrate support for their work-life balance while promoting a sense of community.
Acknowledging and rewarding the hard work and accomplishments of employees on a regular basis helps boost their morale and motivation. It also promotes a positive work culture and healthy competition. Rewards, such as appreciation certificates or financial incentives, can help cultivate a sense of accomplishment and job satisfaction. This strategy helps to create a highly engaged workforce committed to organizational success.
Innovation marathons are a platform for employees to showcase their creativity and skills. It gives them an opportunity to contribute their ideas and solutions to the organization, making them feel part of something bigger. Such marathons also promote collaboration and teamwork, as employees work together to develop innovative solutions. This, in turn, boosts employee engagement by nurturing a culture of continuous improvement.
Skill development workshops promote lifelong learning and personal growth. Encourage employees to participate in workshops offered within the organization, attend seminars, enroll in online classes, and learn from colleagues, and create a culture of learning and development. By supporting such initiatives, organizations empower their workforce to evolve according to their organizational needs while promoting constant learning and development.
Encourage employees to volunteer for corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, such as a local charity or clean-up drive. Community service creates a sense of purpose as they give back to the community and make a positive impact. It promotes harmony and teamwork as employees come together for a common cause. It can also create a positive impact on the organizational reputation while strengthening the bond between employees.
Employees want to constantly feel valued and heard. Employee feedback is a foolproof method to achieve this. Create a regular anonymous feedback system where employees can submit their concerns & feedback without the fear of judgement. It also enables the company to identify, understand and address organizational issues effectively. You can also set up an open forum where employees can express their feedback as well.
Encourage employees to set up hobby clubs or groups where various people with common interests can get together and indulge in their hobby, such as a reading club or a coding group. Encourage employees to start groups of their own based on their unique interests. Establish a weekly or monthly schedule for group activities during work hours. Such hobby clubs help build stronger employee relationships and a positive work environment by promoting creativity and teamwork.
The performance of employees at work can be significantly impacted by their physical and mental health. Ensuring employee wellness helps in improving employee health and improving employee productivity. You can conduct awareness sessions and offer discounts or free access to wellness programs for the same. Mental health awareness sessions and programs can contribute to a healthier, happier work environment. Prioritizing organizational success alongside the well-being of the workforce leads to a more productive and effective team.
Organize regular, office-wide events that encourage teamwork. Office-wide events provide employees with an opportunity for different teams to interact and get together. These events can include team-building exercises and games. Such events help to create a sense of community, increase job satisfaction, and establish a fun, positive workplace.
Dress down days or casual days are a great way to establish a relaxed office atmosphere. Unlike the conventional corporate culture that required employees to dress up in business attire, many companies are slowly embracing a more flexible dress code. While each company may have its own outlook, implementing a dress-down day, such as “Friday Casuals”, can help strike a balance in the corporate world.
Open mic provides employees with a platform to showcase their unique talents, such as storytelling, stand-up comedy, music, and so on. Such events promote employee participation and creativity and celebrate the dynamic workforce. It helps employees to share their passions and connect with each other on a personal level.
Organize do-it-yourself (DIY) workshops online where employees can share a DIY activity or craft sessions like origami. Such sessions allow employees to showcase and share their talents. It also promotes team bonding and creativity among the employees.
Organize decorations for the bay and give out awards for the best workstation. It can be organized during special holidays like Christmas or make it a general competition with prizes for the best decorated desks. A neat and well-organized workstation provides a positive atmosphere and positive energy. Rewarding employees for maintaining their workspaces nurtures a sense of pride and engagement.
Employee engagement activities for each company will vary according to the type of business, the number of employees and so on. Some of the common fun activities for employee engagement includes:
- Team-Building Exercises
- Wellness Programs
- Employee Recognition Programs
- Community Service
- Casual dress days
- Office Parties
- Potluck Events
- Sports events or games
The frequency of employee engagement activities can be established as per the size and the number of employees in the organization. However, there should be monthly team-building activities, routine employee recognition programs and a company outing or retreat at least once a year.
While ideally all employees need to participate, various employees might have varying interests in fun activities. And so, to accommodate all employees, you can create a feedback and suggestions loop within the organization, create challenges or games with monetary rewards or gifts. You can also try a wide range of activities and incorporate employee input to make the event a success.
Employee engagement should not be confined to in-office employees only, even remote employees require the equal amount of attention and care, if not more. Organizing fun activities for remote employees is important to nurture team spirit and motivation. Some of the ways in which you can achieve this is by, creating:
- Virtual team building exercises
- Online workshops
- Online recognition programs
- Online gaming sessions
- Online hobby clubs & activities
Employee engagement need not be expensive. Leverage online resources. and make a planning committee. The key is creativity. You can find fun activities which requires minimal resources, such as:
- Theme Dress up days
- Team building exercises
- Shoutouts and employee appreciation
- Online Game Hour
- Discussion Forums
Leaders play a significant role in employee engagement. Providing adequate resources and supportive policies can help create a positive work environment. Abandoning the hierarchy and interacting with the employees can also help in establishing a more transparent and open work culture. Similarly, investing in more training and development and employee recognition can help promote a more motivated and engaged workforce.
In short, fun activities for employee engagement are essential to create a motivated, productive, and resilient workforce. Prioritizing employee engagement shows the organization’s commitment to the personal and professional growth of the individual. HRM software like PayWheel can streamline payroll calculations, time and attendance calculations, and more. This allows HR professionals to focus on team building and organizational strategy.
