Conventional thinking would suggest that the workplace is strictly for work and business. The new trend for most businesses today though, is to intertwine fun and games with work. Some people side with the conventional opinion and believe play in the workplace is bad for business. I believe that play should be incorporated into the workplace through games and fun activities because it would boost production, give workers a chance to relax, and increase overall morale.
By adding fun and games to the workplace, it would boost production by giving it a slightly more competitive environment. In Caitlin Petre’s article, “Gamifying the Workplace,” she wrote “in a gamified office, a salesperson might try to outrank her colleagues on a digital …show more content…
For example, I worked at Timberline Golf Course throughout high school, and I always worked more efficiently and was more compliant with my supervisor’s demands when I mentally relaxed at work. My coworker, Daviston, and I created a putting game in the cart barn to play while the work load was small. We would pick starting points, and then putt towards a cup we laid down across the building. Doing this took our minds off of the work and made us view the work day as playful and easygoing. When the carts would come in and we needed to clean them, we gladly did so because we had put ourselves in such a good mood. When Daviston and I worked together, we also made a game to see who could get the most tips that day. Usually he would win because he was more socially inclined than I was, but we always had fun doing it. This was a great game to play because in addition to the putting game, it made us work with a purpose while our minds were at ease from perceiving work as just fun and …show more content…
Adding a sense of play encourages more workers to take part and feel better about the everyday activities that occur. This is a good thing because employers definitely want their employees to want to be there and do their jobs well. When I worked at Timberline, I dreaded going there if I was not paired up with Daviston. He was the only one, besides me, who would play games and have fun at work. When I knew I was working with him, I always showed up ready to work with a big smile on my face because I knew it would be a great shift. Every shift where I was deprived of play in the workplace was not greatly enjoyable, and I never did my job with much tenacity or enthusiasm. Play in the workplace makes most employees enjoy their time on the clock more and allows them to feel better about the daily activities that go with the