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301 Ways to Have Fun At Work
The most successful organizations add a healthy dose of play into their daily or weekly routines. In fact, research has shown that when people actually enjoy their jobs they're more creative, more productive, and more committed to doing their jobs well. Companies like the Colorado Health Sciences Center and Southwest Airlines attest to the positive effect of fun at work. Both trace increased job satisfaction and decreased employee downtime to concerted efforts to make fun a part of their corporate identity.
With 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work , Dave Hemsath and Leslie Yerkes offer a complete resource anyone can use to create a dynamic workplace that encourages and inspires fun-and-games camaraderie among employees. It combines thorough research with practical hands-on tools, and features hundreds of ideas real companies have used to lighten up the workplace.
The authors surveyed over 1,500 individuals from organizations around the world and received enthusiastic responses that yielded a broad range of ways to spice up the work day. The suggestions in 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work include humorous training films, dress-up and dress-down days, silly job titles, awards for people who go "above and beyond the call of duty" when a coworker is on vacation, "ritual dances" at the completion of a project, a fashion show when it's time to choose a new uniform-even foam dart fights after meetings.
Hemsath and Yerkes offer ideas for instilling an element of fun into various business functions-from office environment, to meetings, training, communication, hiring, recognition, team building, and "simple acts of fun." In addition to the fun ideas in these chapters, a series of side bars, called "fun facts," "fun quotes," and "fun resources" offer humorous and interesting facts and statements about the effects of fun on workplace performance and job satisfaction, and direct readers to useful sources for products and services to enhance workplace "funativity."
Hemsath and Yerkes show that creating a fun atmosphere in the workplace increases productivity and morale and has a positive effect on the bottom line. Most importantly, they give readers the tools to have more fun at work, no matter where they work, or what position they're in.
With 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work , Dave Hemsath and Leslie Yerkes offer a complete resource anyone can use to create a dynamic workplace that encourages and inspires fun-and-games camaraderie among employees. It combines thorough research with practical hands-on tools, and features hundreds of ideas real companies have used to lighten up the workplace.
The authors surveyed over 1,500 individuals from organizations around the world and received enthusiastic responses that yielded a broad range of ways to spice up the work day. The suggestions in 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work include humorous training films, dress-up and dress-down days, silly job titles, awards for people who go "above and beyond the call of duty" when a coworker is on vacation, "ritual dances" at the completion of a project, a fashion show when it's time to choose a new uniform-even foam dart fights after meetings.
Hemsath and Yerkes offer ideas for instilling an element of fun into various business functions-from office environment, to meetings, training, communication, hiring, recognition, team building, and "simple acts of fun." In addition to the fun ideas in these chapters, a series of side bars, called "fun facts," "fun quotes," and "fun resources" offer humorous and interesting facts and statements about the effects of fun on workplace performance and job satisfaction, and direct readers to useful sources for products and services to enhance workplace "funativity."
Hemsath and Yerkes show that creating a fun atmosphere in the workplace increases productivity and morale and has a positive effect on the bottom line. Most importantly, they give readers the tools to have more fun at work, no matter where they work, or what position they're in.
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
8 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 3, 2017
DNF. A lot of stupid stuff in here, along with borderline useful (in minority). Warning: the review's going to contain a lot of swearing and a couple of tantrums!
And as for all the supposedly 'fun' stuff, such as this:
Q:
Work Environment: Giggle While You Work 1
Communication: Funny You Should Say That 43
Training: Learning the Fun-damentals 69
Meetings: Having Fun—Wish You Were Here 97
Recognition: Say It with Fun 127
Team Building: How to Create Fun-atics 157
Simple Acts of Fun 183
A Twelve-Step Method to Fun 216 (c)
(!) let me tell you I hate it PASSIONATELY!!!
The gigglers in your open space? All the walkers and talkers and people who chat and drink tea/coffee-smelling crap all the time??? F* them along with the general idea of open space!!!
Team building?! Don't get me started, it's a retarded idea for kids not for mature professionals. While for the younguish employees this may sound like a great way to get to know people twice as old as them(probably making them at home via reminding of their fairly recent kindergarten activities), after 10 years constant team-building gets effing BORING! And I can't even imagine just how deeeply retarded the whole team-building antics must seem to people who have suffered through 30-40-50 years of ongoing climbing trees, doing quests, jumping ropes, playing games, making paper pyramids under the freaking rain, etc etc etc. What the fuck is wrong with our society that we seem to no longer be able to just get acquainted and cooperate with people the regular way? Why to do that I have to first climb some freaking fence, then fly in a helicopter and finally untangle some dreadfully tangled (and probably dirty) ropes with my teeth? I'm not a ninja nor I aspire to become one!
Q:
I am happiest and most productive during the long days of summer, when the sun comes up early and stays up late. Recently, as the seasons began to change, our city experienced a week of dark and rainy days that sent my spirits sagging. One morning during this week, determined not to let the weather affect my attitude, I burst into song. I serenaded the office with a complete rendition of “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow” from the musical Annie. (c) The dream serenading coworker.
Q:
Many businesses are promoting a fun and flexible work environment by implementing a shortened work week during slow times of the year. One San Francisco–based company has summer work hours, closing the office at 1:00 p.m. on Fridays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The free afternoon may be a time when staff members go to a movie together or just have the freedom to get a head start on their weekend. (c) This idea is sane. If it's not compulsory to go wherever the company decided, for example compulsory ice-skating, tree-climbing, other cities, swimming in some freakishly cold sea 3000 km to the North of your resident location, hugging live cockroaches, getting buried in some grave for a couple hours (psychological training, anyone?), walking hot coals...
Q:
Pay for everyone to go to a conference once a year. (c) After reading this I just might become violent. First of all, this is used by almost every frigging company on the market and this proves to be a giant waste of my precious personal time. Which is already in massive shortage! Really, why the hell am I supposed to stay somewhere round the clock (where it's not convenient for me and my family) and not be paid for overtime? The second thing is that occasionally, the employees are supposed to pay their way and stay wherever the company decided and this is extra expences which I (for example) might not choose to make. And the third thing, has anyone ever considered that people have families, including children, which they might have preferred to stay with? This is one of the most popular ill-conceived ideas ever.
And as for all the supposedly 'fun' stuff, such as this:
Q:
Work Environment: Giggle While You Work 1
Communication: Funny You Should Say That 43
Training: Learning the Fun-damentals 69
Meetings: Having Fun—Wish You Were Here 97
Recognition: Say It with Fun 127
Team Building: How to Create Fun-atics 157
Simple Acts of Fun 183
A Twelve-Step Method to Fun 216 (c)
(!) let me tell you I hate it PASSIONATELY!!!
The gigglers in your open space? All the walkers and talkers and people who chat and drink tea/coffee-smelling crap all the time??? F* them along with the general idea of open space!!!
Team building?! Don't get me started, it's a retarded idea for kids not for mature professionals. While for the younguish employees this may sound like a great way to get to know people twice as old as them
Q:
I am happiest and most productive during the long days of summer, when the sun comes up early and stays up late. Recently, as the seasons began to change, our city experienced a week of dark and rainy days that sent my spirits sagging. One morning during this week, determined not to let the weather affect my attitude, I burst into song. I serenaded the office with a complete rendition of “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow” from the musical Annie. (c) The dream serenading coworker.
Q:
Many businesses are promoting a fun and flexible work environment by implementing a shortened work week during slow times of the year. One San Francisco–based company has summer work hours, closing the office at 1:00 p.m. on Fridays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The free afternoon may be a time when staff members go to a movie together or just have the freedom to get a head start on their weekend. (c) This idea is sane. If it's not compulsory to go wherever the company decided, for example compulsory ice-skating, tree-climbing, other cities, swimming in some freakishly cold sea 3000 km to the North of your resident location, hugging live cockroaches, getting buried in some grave for a couple hours (psychological training, anyone?), walking hot coals...
Q:
Pay for everyone to go to a conference once a year. (c) After reading this I just might become violent. First of all, this is used by almost every frigging company on the market and this proves to be a giant waste of my precious personal time. Which is already in massive shortage! Really, why the hell am I supposed to stay somewhere round the clock (where it's not convenient for me and my family) and not be paid for overtime? The second thing is that occasionally, the employees are supposed to pay their way and stay wherever the company decided and this is extra expences which I (for example) might not choose to make. And the third thing, has anyone ever considered that people have families, including children, which they might have preferred to stay with? This is one of the most popular ill-conceived ideas ever.
abandoned
November 15, 2025I acquired this book when I took on a leadership role in the cath lab, thinking I could use it to inspire a little fun in a workplace that was distinctly not fun. I don't remember ever actually using it. Leafing through the pages now, I can't imagine doing any of these today.
Paperback edition, probably going into the recycling bin.
Paperback edition, probably going into the recycling bin.
July 23, 2019
Книжка про те, як не нудьгувати на роботі виявилась мега нудною. Ледве її дочитав.
Кожний розділ, всі цитати або приклади про одне і те ж. Суцільне дублювання. Все, що є в цій книжці можна було б легко сформувати у невеличку статтю.
Кожний розділ, всі цитати або приклади про одне і те ж. Суцільне дублювання. Все, що є в цій книжці можна було б легко сформувати у невеличку статтю.
June 9, 2017
I enjoyed many of the ideas offered, but definitely for managers. I gave my copy to new manager and strongly suggested using it.
September 29, 2017
رغم انه مليء باللفكار لكن لم اجده يناسب ذوقي او السائد المجتمعي
ولا انكر اني استفدت من بعضها
ولا انكر اني استفدت من بعضها
September 24, 2018
Совершенно неинтересная книга.
Все интересные идеи и так известны.
Все интересные идеи и так известны.
February 10, 2019
I read this while at work. I had to put it down for the busier season, but picked it back up to finish.
January 17, 2017
يتحدث الكتاب عن المرح كأحد الأمور الأساسية المرتبطة بالعمل، والتي لا غنى عنها في عالم الأعمال المكتظ بالملل والرتابة والانضباط المرهق، سعيًا منه لتحويل هذه الأمور الاعتيادية في شركات الأعمال إلى متعة أثناء تأديتها من قبل الموظفين والعمال وحتى المدراء أنفسهم.
وبما أن الكتاب يصنف في مجال التنمية البشرية، فإن أهم أولوياته هي الموارد البشرية، فالقوة البشرية هي أساس عالم الأعمال، وهي الثابت الذي يتغير تبعًا لتغيره كل ما يتعلق به من متغيرات مثل إنتاج الشركة وغير ذلك، يتوقف أيضًا على القوة البشرية نجاح أو فشل الشركات، ومن أجل ذلك كان اعتناء كل شركة بموظفيها هو سر نجاحها. فأصبح من اللازم على شركات الأعمال التي تسعى للنجاح والتفوق إنشاء قسم خاص بالموارد البشرية يديرها وينميها من أجل تحقيق أهداف كل شركة وطموحها.
قدم مؤلفو الكتاب أسبابهم الخاصة التي تجعل من المرح سبب هام في نجاح الشركات، فبيئة العمل المتسمة بالمرح بين موظفيها بعضها البعض من ناحية وبين الموظفين والمدراء من ناحية أخرى تؤدي إلى زيادة الترابط بين هيكل الشركة ككل والتبسط والمرونة في حل المشاكل وظهور جو من السعادة في الشركة مما يعمل على زيادة الانتماء لدى الموظفين تجاه الشرك والعمل على تأدية مهامهم بإتقان. وقد أوردوا في الكتاب العديد من النصائح المهمة والأفكار الإبداعية الفعالة والمطبقة بالفعل في العديد من الشركات الناجحة وخاصة في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.
وبما أن الكتاب يصنف في مجال التنمية البشرية، فإن أهم أولوياته هي الموارد البشرية، فالقوة البشرية هي أساس عالم الأعمال، وهي الثابت الذي يتغير تبعًا لتغيره كل ما يتعلق به من متغيرات مثل إنتاج الشركة وغير ذلك، يتوقف أيضًا على القوة البشرية نجاح أو فشل الشركات، ومن أجل ذلك كان اعتناء كل شركة بموظفيها هو سر نجاحها. فأصبح من اللازم على شركات الأعمال التي تسعى للنجاح والتفوق إنشاء قسم خاص بالموارد البشرية يديرها وينميها من أجل تحقيق أهداف كل شركة وطموحها.
قدم مؤلفو الكتاب أسبابهم الخاصة التي تجعل من المرح سبب هام في نجاح الشركات، فبيئة العمل المتسمة بالمرح بين موظفيها بعضها البعض من ناحية وبين الموظفين والمدراء من ناحية أخرى تؤدي إلى زيادة الترابط بين هيكل الشركة ككل والتبسط والمرونة في حل المشاكل وظهور جو من السعادة في الشركة مما يعمل على زيادة الانتماء لدى الموظفين تجاه الشرك والعمل على تأدية مهامهم بإتقان. وقد أوردوا في الكتاب العديد من النصائح المهمة والأفكار الإبداعية الفعالة والمطبقة بالفعل في العديد من الشركات الناجحة وخاصة في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.
Read
June 28, 2011not sure yet
May 1, 2015
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11975103
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11975103
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews