Why You Should Play More at Work
If you stop by the Patagonia office during lunch you would be more likely to see employees grabbing surfboards and heading to the ocean rather than into a conference room.
While that seems like unusual activity for a company that earned $600 million in 2013 it’s all part of an effort to encourage work-life balance at the company.
In some circles, the idea of fun in the workplace seems almost contradictory. But, Patagonia and other leading companies like IDEO have demonstrated how emphasizing fun at work can increase productivity, decrease employee turnover, and inspire new products.
It seems like a no-brainer right? Playing was fun when you were a kid. You probably still have a great time playing as an adult. So, why don’t you do it more often?
Amidst work, social commitments, childcare, bills, home improvement projects, and the like, finding time to cut loose can be challenging. Research indicates this lack of playtime is detrimental for a variety of reasons.
A roll-on deodorant stick and a butter dish might not seem like a natural fit, but with the help of Jim Yurchenco, the two items paired together to create the first prototype of the Apple mouse.
In design circles, this type of work is referred to as prototyping, using crude tools to create mock designs as quickly as possible. As Tim Brown, CEO and president of the innovation and design firm IDEO, explains prototyping is no different than constructive play wherein children use tools like building blocks to construct huge towers.
Unfortunately, many adults aren’t great at divergent thinking, the ability to think of multiple uses for one tool, a fundamental characteristic of creativity. Through play, particularly the constructive kind, we can learn to build new things and push the boundaries of conventional ideas.
Learning through play
Dr. Randa Grob-Zakhary, CEO of the LEGO Foundation, emphasizes that play isn’t just for having fun. It’s equally as important for learning:
Some scientists are even arguing that time spent on the playground might be as or even more important than time spent in the classroom for children. According to Sergio Pellis, a researcher at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, play helps children to build connections between neurons in the brain particularly in the prefrontal cortex. Those connections help them to manage their emotions and solve problems.
While most adults already have these skills, they can still benefit from play. Research shows that play is a crucial way for adults to begin and maintain social relationships as well as preserve memory and brain health during old age.
Productive playing
It’s easy to imagine that employees volleying a ping-pong ball back and forth are slacking off on the job, but Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute of Play, emphasizes this isn’t always the case. Giving employees a chance to play doesn’t take away from how much they can get done. In fact, Dr. Brown explains play can actually boost productivity:
When you were a kid, you likely built some of your best friendships running around on the playground. As we progress into adulthood, we ditch playtime for more serious networking events and business lunches. Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play, explains that our relationships can benefit from play. In fact, play is actually built into the hardwiring of both children and adults.
Through playing with others, Dr. Brown emphasizes that we create deeper bonds and establish foundations of trust. In the workplace, this can translate to a more cohesive environment.
Given the opportunity and the right set of tools, most children will start playing right away. Adults, particularly in the workplace, might need a bit more prodding to get started.
Here are some tips on how to build a playful office culture that enhances creativity, boosts productivity, and increases employee retention.
The good news is you don’t have to entirely redesign your office space to encourage play. Creating a playful atmosphere could be as simple as allowing employees to use their creativity and imagination to redecorate. Zappos, for example, encourages every employee to decorate their desk to their liking. In fact, ‘Create fun and a little weirdness’ is a core value of the company.
If an office plastered with posters and action figurines is too far, consider putting some toys on various conference room tables. A small pile of legos or a few containers of Play-Doh can go a long way in bringing out the inner child in employees.
To demonstrate the power of play on creativity, a research study was conducted with children ages six to seven assigned to one of two groups. One group played with a salt-dough mixture for 25 minutes while the other group performed a structured writing assignment. Then, the groups were asked to create a ‘creature’ using an assortment of ’tissue-paper materials’. Not surprisingly, the group that played with the salt-dough mixture had the most creative outcome.
Play, particularly the constructive kind, has a way of forcing us to think outside the box, which is particularly important before brainstorming a new solution to a problem.
In his presentation on creativity and play, Tim Brown asked everyone in the audience to draw a quick sketch of the person sitting next to them in 30 seconds. After time was up, the audience was hesitant to show off their work. Brown explains, “If you try this same exercise with kids, they have no embarrassement at all…but, as they learn to become adults, they become much more sensitive to the opinions of others.”
Both kids and adults feel more inclined to play and experiment when they are in a trusting environment. For starters, this could mean getting everyone to join in on the fun. Employees shouldn’t feel like they’re going to single themselves out by being playful. On another level, this could mean rewarding employees for the wackiest ideas to encourage them to push the boundaries.
It’s one thing for leaders to publicly announce they want employees to have fun in the workplace. It’s an entirely different animal to actually take that motto to heart. By demonstrating the willingness to play themselves, leaders demonstrate that it’s okay for their employees to have a little fun as well.
You don’t have to force children to play. It happens naturally. Unfortunately, as we get older, we ditch the playful mindset for the more serious adult nature that is the cultural norm. Flipping that childhood enthusiasm back on might be the exact key we need to unlock innovation.
from CREW
While that seems like unusual activity for a company that earned $600 million in 2013 it’s all part of an effort to encourage work-life balance at the company.
In some circles, the idea of fun in the workplace seems almost contradictory. But, Patagonia and other leading companies like IDEO have demonstrated how emphasizing fun at work can increase productivity, decrease employee turnover, and inspire new products.
Why Have Fun in the First Place?
It seems like a no-brainer right? Playing was fun when you were a kid. You probably still have a great time playing as an adult. So, why don’t you do it more often?
Amidst work, social commitments, childcare, bills, home improvement projects, and the like, finding time to cut loose can be challenging. Research indicates this lack of playtime is detrimental for a variety of reasons.
Boosting creativity
A roll-on deodorant stick and a butter dish might not seem like a natural fit, but with the help of Jim Yurchenco, the two items paired together to create the first prototype of the Apple mouse.
In design circles, this type of work is referred to as prototyping, using crude tools to create mock designs as quickly as possible. As Tim Brown, CEO and president of the innovation and design firm IDEO, explains prototyping is no different than constructive play wherein children use tools like building blocks to construct huge towers.
Unfortunately, many adults aren’t great at divergent thinking, the ability to think of multiple uses for one tool, a fundamental characteristic of creativity. Through play, particularly the constructive kind, we can learn to build new things and push the boundaries of conventional ideas.
Learning through play
Dr. Randa Grob-Zakhary, CEO of the LEGO Foundation, emphasizes that play isn’t just for having fun. It’s equally as important for learning:
Play allows us to test our capabilities, as all forms of learning should. It stimulates children’s learning abilities by fostering creativity, building critical thinking, sparking intellectual curiosity, and facilitating learning by doing. Learning by doing deepens our engagement and understanding significantly, and strengthens the most important pathways our brains use to learn and develop.
Some scientists are even arguing that time spent on the playground might be as or even more important than time spent in the classroom for children. According to Sergio Pellis, a researcher at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, play helps children to build connections between neurons in the brain particularly in the prefrontal cortex. Those connections help them to manage their emotions and solve problems.
While most adults already have these skills, they can still benefit from play. Research shows that play is a crucial way for adults to begin and maintain social relationships as well as preserve memory and brain health during old age.
Productive playing
It’s easy to imagine that employees volleying a ping-pong ball back and forth are slacking off on the job, but Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute of Play, emphasizes this isn’t always the case. Giving employees a chance to play doesn’t take away from how much they can get done. In fact, Dr. Brown explains play can actually boost productivity:
There is good evidence that if you allow employees to engage in something they want to do, (which) is playful, there are better outcomes in terms of productivity and motivation.
Bringing it all together
When you were a kid, you likely built some of your best friendships running around on the playground. As we progress into adulthood, we ditch playtime for more serious networking events and business lunches. Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play, explains that our relationships can benefit from play. In fact, play is actually built into the hardwiring of both children and adults.
Through playing with others, Dr. Brown emphasizes that we create deeper bonds and establish foundations of trust. In the workplace, this can translate to a more cohesive environment.
Building a Playful Atmosphere
Given the opportunity and the right set of tools, most children will start playing right away. Adults, particularly in the workplace, might need a bit more prodding to get started.
Here are some tips on how to build a playful office culture that enhances creativity, boosts productivity, and increases employee retention.
Create a playful environment
It’s hard to encourage employees to play in a sterile office environment. That’s why you’ll see many dotcom companies decorate their offices in a playful manner like IDEO, who uses a VW van for a conference room, or Google, who put a slide and fireman’s pole in one of their offices.The good news is you don’t have to entirely redesign your office space to encourage play. Creating a playful atmosphere could be as simple as allowing employees to use their creativity and imagination to redecorate. Zappos, for example, encourages every employee to decorate their desk to their liking. In fact, ‘Create fun and a little weirdness’ is a core value of the company.
If an office plastered with posters and action figurines is too far, consider putting some toys on various conference room tables. A small pile of legos or a few containers of Play-Doh can go a long way in bringing out the inner child in employees.
Play before brainstorming meetings
If there’s one part of the workday when play is especially important, it’s when you’re trying to brainstorm new ideas.To demonstrate the power of play on creativity, a research study was conducted with children ages six to seven assigned to one of two groups. One group played with a salt-dough mixture for 25 minutes while the other group performed a structured writing assignment. Then, the groups were asked to create a ‘creature’ using an assortment of ’tissue-paper materials’. Not surprisingly, the group that played with the salt-dough mixture had the most creative outcome.
Play, particularly the constructive kind, has a way of forcing us to think outside the box, which is particularly important before brainstorming a new solution to a problem.
Discourage judgement
Employees are less willing to play if they feel like their creation or actions are going to be judged.In his presentation on creativity and play, Tim Brown asked everyone in the audience to draw a quick sketch of the person sitting next to them in 30 seconds. After time was up, the audience was hesitant to show off their work. Brown explains, “If you try this same exercise with kids, they have no embarrassement at all…but, as they learn to become adults, they become much more sensitive to the opinions of others.”
Both kids and adults feel more inclined to play and experiment when they are in a trusting environment. For starters, this could mean getting everyone to join in on the fun. Employees shouldn’t feel like they’re going to single themselves out by being playful. On another level, this could mean rewarding employees for the wackiest ideas to encourage them to push the boundaries.
The only place you’ll see any rules at IDEO is in a brainstorming session, and they’re rules like ‘Defer Judgment’ and ‘Go For Quantity’. It’s about making a space that’s safe for taking risks. We try to encourage flexing your creative muscles and interacting, rather than being the smartest designer in the room. — Joe Wilcox
Lead by example
When he organizes a company retreat, Derek Flanzraich, CEO of Greatist.com, establishes clear boundaries for work. He emphasizes that the retreat is to be used for rest and relaxation. He also reiterates that he won’t be doing any work so he doesn’t expect anyone else on the team to be working either.It’s one thing for leaders to publicly announce they want employees to have fun in the workplace. It’s an entirely different animal to actually take that motto to heart. By demonstrating the willingness to play themselves, leaders demonstrate that it’s okay for their employees to have a little fun as well.
You don’t have to force children to play. It happens naturally. Unfortunately, as we get older, we ditch the playful mindset for the more serious adult nature that is the cultural norm. Flipping that childhood enthusiasm back on might be the exact key we need to unlock innovation.
from CREW
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