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5 Tips for a Fun, Productive Work Culture

Everyone wants to be able to hop out of bed each morning and look forward to going to work. Wouldn’t it be great if your job didn’t feel like a job? Work is where we spend the majority of our waking hours, and a stiff, dull environment is not most people’s idea of a good time. Most CEOs and founders worry that if the office place is all-play, then there will be no work, but a recent Entrepreneur article written by AudienceBloom Founder and CEO [put name], provides “5 Strategies to Build a Fun Work Culture That’s Also Productive.” Here are his tips for keeping your employees on track while making you for company the coolest kid on the block:

  • Organize challenges.

Friendly competition is healthy for the work place. The Entrepreneur article suggests companies can do this in two ways, with professional items or non-work related. Putting challenges on teams to get the most number of leads, or exceed sales goals will boost success and productivity while creating a sense of unity. Blowing off steam during the day with a ping pong tournament or card game will help employees bond and become more efficient when they return to work.

  • Encourage breaks.

The head-down all-day work environment is either intentionally or unintentionally enforced in the office place. When it’s intentional, upper management believes that working as hard and as long as you can gets the best results possible. But that’s not true. When employees feel free to break from the chains of their desks and take a break, go get lunch or just chat with co-workers, they perform better. They’re able to refresh and recharge and work smarter. If you don’t have an open work environment, setting up a break room will help boost morale. Throw in some snacks and drinks, and your employees will think they’re in heaven.

  • Socialize offsite.

Friends help friends. Co-workers don’t have to be best friends, but seeing one another outside of the boardroom will help your team see each other as people with lives, not just robots. Going to lunch as a team and talking about something other than work helps build relationships.

  • Celebrate achievements.

A pat on the back will do. When a team member hits a goal or gets a promotion, they are showing how they care about the good of the company, so as a company, it’s important to show employees appreciation. When people feel valued, they will work harder. It’s doesn’t have to be a Gatsby style party - a gift card for dinner will do.

  • Focus on productivity, not schedules.

The work has to get done, but setting strict guidelines and timetables puts pressure on the project, and employees might not do their best work. Working fewer hours or having more flexible hours will help employees feel more comfortable in the work place, thus improving their quality of work. They will still get the job done, but they will enjoy doing the job more than if they feel bound by a strict schedule.

Integrating these changes into everyday work life will give your company almost immediate results. Making employees feel at home and celebrating their achievements will work wonders in productivity and performance. And who doesn’t want that?

 

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