Want Workers Back in the Office? Make It More Fun to Be There
Want Workers Back in the Office? Make It More Fun to Be There
(Bloomberg Businessweek) -- After more than a year away from the office, many employees have adjusted to working from home and are content to stay put. Managers, however, are saying it’s time to start coming back. How do you create incentives for people who like their new normal?
“My hypothesis is that the social side of work will become more important,” says Hilla Dotan, an organizational behaviorist at Tel Aviv University. “This is the time to give employees the opportunity to express how they think work should be done, professionally and socially.”
We asked managers what they’re doing to make offices more enticing to returning staffers and what traditions they’re reviving. Here’s what they had to say:
Get your game face on
“Currently on our calendar we have a pingpong tournament, a book club, dedicated times to share meals, and some time to partner up to discuss work issues,” says Kevin Cook, chief product owner at On The Map Marketing in Miami.
“We encourage everyone to do something they enjoy for a few minutes per day,” says Jason McMahon, strategist for digital ad agency Bambrick Media in Brisbane, Australia. Common sights around the office include people doing puzzles, reading books, and working on art projects.
“We’re renovating our office to include a playroom that will have arcade games, Legos, puzzles, and video games,” says Jamie Hickey, founder of CoffeeSemantics.com, a guide to java culture. “We’re also creating a room that will have living walls made of plants.”
Make it fun
“Celebrating employees’ birthdays and job anniversaries is one of the best ways for everyone to be recognized and appreciated,” says Lacy Summers, chief marketing officer of project management training site CrushthePMExam.com.
“Support and celebrate the little discoveries,” says Shiv Gupta, chief executive officer of Incrementors Web Solutions in Marlton, N.J. These include realizing that you’ve hit 100 customers or an upgrade to what Gupta calls a “time-sucking process.”
“Make up award categories like Best Shoes or Most Likely to Fall Asleep in a Meeting,” says Shad Elia, CEO of real estate investing firm New England Home Buyers. “Rejoice in small wins.”
Rethink the experience
“We have four workdays a week, and we make the best of it,” says Ali Saeed, founder of Kuwait branding agency Poixel. “We order a big feast on the fourth day and enjoy it to the fullest.”
“We are making [the office] feel like a whole new space,” says Daivat Dholakia, director of operations at GPS fleet tracker Force by Mojio in Vancouver, B.C. “We’re adding new graphics to the walls, adding plants, and replacing the curtains and changing out the whiteboards. Changing up the office keeps us from dwelling on the past.”
Encourage adventures
“Start a pool at reception where employees drop in a menu from local businesses they’d like to support, and once a week or month, cater a staff meal,” says Elizabeth Cobb, a psychotherapist in New York City.
“Every week, pick a new exercise and a new stretch leader to get everyone going,” says Daniel Foley, chief marketing officer at review site Scooter.guide. “Employees step out of their offices to do a group stretch to music.”
“After months of remote work in comfy clothes, it’s an adjustment to return to business attire,” says Jeff Zhou, CEO of payday-loan alternative Fig Loans in Sugar Land, Texas. “Relaxing the dress code can make employees more comfortable.”
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