Where's the Fun in That?!

From the Oceanwave Coaching blog

Remember building epic skyscraper towers from building blocks or slotting in that last piece of the jigsaw puzzle on your living room floor? You were doing more than just playing; you were picking up the basics of things like problem-solving, pattern recognition, and physics. These childhood activities were actually priming you for some serious grown-up skills like critical thinking and innovation, crucial tools in today’s work world. It never felt like learning; it was an exhilarating adventure. Imagine what it could look like if you reignite and infuse that same passion and curiosity back into your organization, including in its professional development process. How transformative could that be for fostering an environment where creativity and productivity flourish?

We used to learn and bond through play as kids. With eyes wide open, every corner of the sandbox or classroom held a new treasure. But as we got taller and stepped into our grown-up shoes, the rulebook changed. Schools started handing out gold stars for grades rather than discoveries, and at work, it was all about the results—not the inventive detours we took to get there. This big switch from loving the game to playing just to win sucked the delight right out of learning, turning it into a tedious task rather than an exciting chance to grow. How do we get that intrinsic joy and motivation back, and why would we even want to?

When you sprinkle fun and play into the office environment, the change is remarkable. Team members become fully engaged and develop new skills, becoming more adaptable and better equipped to tackle unexpected challenges. Plus, enjoying yourself at work does wonders for team morale. It turns the office into a happier place, which dramatically lowers the risk of burnout. Happier team members are not only more productive but also more committed, increasing the likelihood they'll stick around.

Injecting this playful vibe helps forge tighter team bonds and builds a greater sense of psychological safety, cultivating a culture where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas and experimenting without fear of judgment. This atmosphere is ripe for innovation, as team members feel supported and encouraged to think outside the box.

So, how do we bring back the fun? First up, recognize that it comes in different flavors, and not everyone's taste buds are the same. Make sure there’s room for everyone to enjoy some of the activities, or opt out if they’re really not interested. Check the pulse of your team to tailor the activities, and keep mixing it up so everyone’s taking part at some point, and nobody feels consistently left out. If you're stuck for ideas, here are a few to start the ball rolling:

• Celebrate all the things: Small celebrations for holidays, birthdays, work anniversaries, family additions, project milestones, or even the completion of a tough week can significantly lift spirits. It’s about recognizing and valuing the personal and professional milestones that matter to your team.
• Design stimulating spaces: Jazz up your common areas with splashes of color, cool art, and comfy furniture that encourage spontaneous conversations and brainstorming sessions.
• Prioritize social time: Carve out a few minutes at the start of meetings for a quick catch-up. Grease the wheels with light-hearted icebreakers to help everyone relax and connect.
• Communal meals: Nothing brings people together like food. Whether it’s a team lunch, a quick coffee break, or snack time, food is the universal language of camaraderie.
• Foster group learning: Sponsor group activities that promote learning and cooperation, such as classes on cooking, painting, flower arranging, making fancy coffee, or any topic that gets your creative juices flowing.
• Visual Collaboration: Tape into your artistic side and turn brainstorming into colorful maps or drawings. You can use markers and clip art (or digital versions) to convey information about your company history, project timeline, customer journey, or architectural diagram.
• Gamify boring tasks: Need to watching a dull training video? Turn it into a trivia challenge with breakout discussions and quizzes where you reward the highest scorers with prizes.
• Interactive build projects: Set up a table somewhere in the office where folks can drop in, chill, and geek out. Whether it’s building LEGO masterpieces, complex puzzles, or whimsical Rube-Goldberg machines, it’s all about hands-on things that get those mental gears turning.
• Play games: Go co-op style or introduce some friendly competition with a game day. It could be anything from a nostalgic video game to a strategy board game that helps sharpen critical thinking skills.
• Showcase and Perform: Ever thought about an office talent show? Or maybe a mini science fair where everyone gets to show off their pet projects? Set the stage, literally, for everyone to shine and share what they love, whether it’s their open source side project, improv, or karaoke.
• Promoting wellness: Add some energy into your wellness program. How about team sports leagues, group yoga, or even a step challenge where you “race” against other teams worldwide?
• Explore Together: Nothing says team bonding like heading out on an adventure. Plan a day trip or an off-site retreat that mixes work with pleasure—think team-building exercises at an escape room, a strategy session by the beach, or a workshop in the mountains.

Now that you’ve got a treasure trove of starter ideas, what’s stopping you from diving right in? Pick one fun twist you can introduce this week to spice up the daily grind and supercharge your team's creativity and productivity. Whether it’s turning a boring meeting into a brainstorming bonanza or transforming an unloved corner into a inventive hub, every small change can spark a big difference. Let’s get this party started.