For any workplace, employees are the greatest asset. Without the team, the workplace would lack productivity. However, for the team to be motivated and at the same time productive without being stressed out, experts say there is a need for ‘team happiness’. This, they say, spurs productivity and by making the work environment a ‘happy place’, there is no doubt that the team will be motivated to get more activities done. Career & Skills highlights six important ways to make any given work environment a happy place — a development that could result in making work fun. 1. Celebrate small wins According to Teresa M Amabile, one of the world’s leading researchers, if an employer wants their team to be happy, he/she needs to make sure that they are making progress and that they understand the importance of their role to the organisation they work for. “Meaningful work doesn’t necessarily mean lofty goals. In fact, meaningful work can be as ordinary as providing customers with a useful service or quality product,” writes Amabile, who is also an administrator at Harvard Business School. 2. Encourage hobbies at work Everyone has a hobby they’re passionate about. And various reports indicate that encouraging hobbies at work could be a great way to relieve stress, recharge your batteries and offer a team the chance to bond over common interests. This, experts say, will turn anyone’s hefty schedule into a stress-free duty. 3. Peer-to-peer feedback Traditionally, the boss doesn’t monitor what everyone on the team does on a day-to-day basis. Rose Mutoni, a businesswoman in Kigali, points out that colleagues should try the culture of peer-to-peer feedback. “It is always important that your team inspires you, corrects you and praises you where necessary,” she says. “When your peers give you feedback, whether destructive or constructive, it helps develop closer relationships to collaborate better in the future,” Mutoni adds. 4. Hanging out Mutoni is of the view that both employees and their managers should have fun as one group by going for regular days out. “Going out together as a team is a great way to get everyone having fun and forming relationships outside of work that could inspire collaboration back in the office.” 5. Decorating the workplace Cherish Nkurunziza, a student teacher at Kigali City School, says it is important that a workplace is decorated after a certain period of time in order to make it look fairly attractive to the workers. “You spend a huge amount of your time at work, therefore, it is important to care for your office. If you want your team to enjoy being at work, make sure you provide a workspace that’s attractive and interesting but also conducive to productivity,” Nkurunziza says. 6 . Establish ‘breakout areas’ According to Nkurunziza, an employer should encourage employees to take regular breaks. “This can be a boardroom, or even a ‘play area’ where people go for 10 minutes to clear their minds,” she says.
