Most of us spend about half of our waking hours at work. I reckon as a leader we have a responsibility of creating an environment where people want to be. Having a culture of having fun at work can lead to people being happier, staying longer and doing great work.
I recently visited Seattle in the USA and on top of list of things to experience was Pike Place Fish Market. I first heard about the extraordinary culture of this workplace over 15 years ago when I read the book and watched the video called ‘The Fish Philosophy.’ They focused on how the owner of the seafood store instilled some simple principles and values in the workers.
Choose your attitude, play, make their day, and be present. When I spoke to employees Taho and Yori last week they confirmed that those principles are still alive and well at Pike Place Fish. Not only that, but they work hard at keeping them fresh by talking about them and keeping each other accountable.
What can you do at your place to increase the level of fun and enjoyment? You may not be able to throw things, but creating an environment where people are happy to be means that they will be more content, committed and produce quality outcomes. Why not start a conversation about having more fun at your workplace?