"SHRM Fun Work Environment Survey"
Evren Esen
Society for Human Resource Management, November 2002.
Available online.
According to a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, more than three-quarters of HR professionals believe that companies which promote a fun work environment are more effective than those that do not, but three-quarters of the respondents say that the level of fun in their organizations is less than it should be. The number of respondents who stated that fun at work is very important in today’s workplace doubled from five years ago, and the study indicates that this issue will only gain in importance over the next five years.
The survey finds that while most people agree that a fun work environment is important there appears to be little consistency in the practice of fun activities within organizations. In fact, the data shows that few of the respondents’ organizations have put policies in place to promote a fun work environment and that the level of fun more often than not varies from department to department.
The HR professionals surveyed consistently believed that a fun work environment benefited companies by attracting new employees, increasing employee enthusiasm and fostering teamwork. Fun practices most often cited as effective were recognition of personal milestones, celebrations of professional achievement and group social events. These were also the most commonly utilized approaches to fostering a fun work environment. Perhaps most significantly, the respondents cited communication as the key to developing a fun workplace. An overwhelming majority of respondents said that being listened to is very important to them. This suggests that creating a fun workplace starts with input from the bottom up in an organization.
