 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 ![Previous Page [Link]](wk_sh_prev.gif) ![Next Page [Link]](wk_sh_next.gif) |
|
|
|
 |
|
People work better as a
team when they
know each other. A good way for employees to learn how to work together
is to play together. Play breaks down barriers and allows employees to
vent workplace frustration in a healthy manner. Playtime is also effective
in unleashing creativity and allowing the free flow of ideas in a low-pressure
environment. Rather than encouraging socialization on employees' own time
(e.g. 'suggested' cocktails after work), bring fun into the office, where
your employees really need it and can use it most effectively.
Here are some ideas for fostering
a sense of camaraderie and fun in your office:
-
When you are preparing for a
presentation to an important client, hold a mock meeting and ask attendees
what they would say to the client if they were all children in a playground.
Projective techniques often help get at the heart of what needs to be communicated,
and can be a lot of fun.
-
Ask the employees to make up
funny Murphy's Laws that can only apply to your office.
-
Celebrate seasonal holidays,
like Halloween, with special office activities.
-
Administer a personality test
to the entire office and see how many people fall into the same groups.
(This might also be useful when considering new seating arrangements.)
-
Put up a bulletin board and
encourage your employees to post funny quotations and pictures. Hold a
contest to see who can come up with the most humorous captions for the
pictures.
-
Divide employees into groups
and ask them to write an outrageous company TV or radio commercials.
-
Take periodic field trips to
the toy store and buy fun office toys.
-
Choreograph a ritual dance to
perform after the completion of big projects.
-
Allow your employees to create
new titles for each other, only to be used in the office. They may want
to rename the receptionist 'Infomart' or 'the CIA' since, as the fielder
of all calls, he or she is most likely to know the most details of employees
personal lives. You can promote employees to new titles from time to time.
For example, if the President of the company is one month named "Assistant
Bee Keeper," the next month she might be upgraded to "Associate Bee Keeper."
-
Hold celebrations for employee
birthdays. Encourage all birthday kids to bring in baby pictures, post
them on a bulletin board or company intranet, and have their co-workers
match the baby pictures with the correct adult employees.
-
Put up a nerf basketball hoop
in an empty section of the office and designate play times (e.g. during
lunch or after five).
-
Encourage interested employees
to start a company softball team.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
