Any good research will tell you that we are social beasts. And most of us perform our work in multiple teams most of the time. When we lose our usual interaction processes, we are in need on fun at work.
Of course we promptly find substitutes for our normal interactions, as we did during lockdown. While we adapted, by now many of us are saturated with Zoom, Teams or WebEx interaction. And we begin to see that some critical things are missing, like FUN! Already affecting us, it is potentially damaging the longer term performance of our businesses.
We Risk Losing A Vital Business Success Factor: FUN
Our relationship to doing business and dealing with people has changed, not always for the good. Sure, we hear many say they loved the comfort and autonomy of working from home. But work-life balance took a hit and so did our “social capital”.
Remote work narrowed our networks to our nearest essential circles. We lost some of the fun interactions that foster innovation, collaboration and energy.
So whether we are back in an office full time or part time, we have to nurture inclusion, engagement and rebuild that “social capital”. Team relationships matter more than ever. Creativity and performance depend on them.
Time To Break Out And Have Fun With Your Team!
Thomas Edison once said
I never did a day’s work in my life. It was all fun.
More recently Richard Branson quoted
A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.
Last week I spoke to a long-term client of mine. We both had a laugh at one of the challenges I threw his team into. He still remembers intimately the experience and, more importantly, the learning for him as a leader and the impact on his team.
That experience by the way, was 15 years ago!
Recently I have run a number of face-to-face sessions. During one of these, I was impressed (but not surprised) at how the team was fully engaged. They were having fun and were addressing some of the team’s key challenges with renewed passion.
I would like to think it was all to do with me. However I sensed that being ‘locked up’ for so long thanks to COVID, led to a big release of energy and enthusiasm.
Reconnecting is bringing the Band together again! People just loved breaking out and having fun as a team face to face again. These team sessions build bridges. After all we call ourselves Bridgeworks, because bridges make a powerful difference.
A Healthy Business Culture Delivers Smart Business Solutions
From running face to face interactive sessions for over 20 years now, I still get a buzz out of seeing people come alive when they spend time looking eye to eye at each other.
This is when the authentic conversations arise; a time when the issues that have been bubbling under the surface rise and are addressed.
All of us want to go to work and have a good day. A healthy workplace culture underpinned with a bit of fun directs productivity on the desired path.
By the way, it’s well and good to have fun as a team, but having fun with a great business outcome is icing on the cake.
Isn’t it now time to break out, have fun with your team and re-engage the ideas back into your workplace?
Give me a call if that is the case.
All the best
Wayne Dyson
0402 300999
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