Why 'play pays': CEO says fun in the workplace improves productivity

Allowing room for “play” in a corporate setting may foster better engagement from employees and boost company productivity, says one CEO and author.

“I think it’s an intentional mindset around having a little more fun,” said Kristin Herold, founder and CEO of Jam, an adult recreational sports league, and author of the book It Pays to Play: How Play Improves Business Culture.

“A once-a-year corporate event doesn’t make for a fun workplace or a great culture,” she told CTV News Channel on Sunday. “Having great culture means a little playfulness intentionally throughout your day to day.”

Herold explained that “playfulness” can emerge through various avenues of interaction.

“It’s playfulness with how we communicate in our emails. It’s not taking ourselves too seriously. It’s having a little bit of laughter every day — whether that’s a shout-out channel on Microsoft Teams or Slack that celebrates great work being done by your teams, or monthly events.”

A strong source of bonding, she said, is sports.

“Maybe it’s having a company sports team playing soccer, or kickball, or dodgeball, or beach volleyball. You know, once a week, where people can get out and play together.”

Herold pointed out that there are numerous ways to play and bond, and that doing so is crucial for building strong friendships.

Much like kids needing friendships in school, Herold explained that employees need friendships at work.

“If you have friendships in the workplace,” she said, “you’re happier, you’re more engaged, you trust people more. You do better work. We’re more energetic. Less burnt out. And we’re more excited to be there.”

Herold explained that finding intentional ways to create more fun in the workplace can help with company retention and improve mental health, burnout, and general engagement among employees.

“There are so many ways to play,” she said. “It’s just about finding intentional ways to do that. And when we do so it really can help with retention with mental health and burnout and engagement in the work place.”

Herold sees clear causation that can occur with implementing a little more fun into the office.

“Happier employees makes for happier customers which makes for a happier bottom line.”