Fun and Games

Smart companies are responding to this need by helping create a sense of community in the workplace, and in truth, the vehicles for providing it are incidental. At some companies, badminton or pinball machines may be perfect outlets; at others, it might be Friday afternoon pizza parties or weekend philanthropic outings to paint old houses or remove graffiti from walls. Price tags for such efforts can be high, low or in between, but the allotted budget doesn't matter as much as providing something that helps bring workers together in a less formal, more intimate setting. See people laughing, talking freely and having a good time, and you'll know that what you're doing is working.

Be warned, however: Efforts to encourage workplace socializing can backfire. "You've got to do this with integrity. It's very easy to alienate workers with social activities," cautions Blaine Lee, vice president of FranklinCovey Company, a leadership and productivity firm in Salt Lake City. "People want to celebrate and socialize with people they care about. How do your employees feel about you?"

The truth is, a badminton court or scuba class is no replacement for paying people fairly and treating them well. "You can't treat people unfairly, then hold a party and expect everybody to be merry," says Lee. "A lot of employees probably won't even come."

That's not your problem--you treat your workers with respect, right? Fair enough, but before scheduling activities, "Ask your employees what they want to do," counsels Lee. "Just because you want to play golf doesn't mean they do." Some workers also find activities scheduled for nights and weekends to be a burden. One key is to ask your employees for feedback about what activities they want to include on a social agenda and when they want them scheduled.

What about employees who don't want to participate? Offer a variety of activities, and it's rare you'll find a worker who won't join in some of the time. "All our employees don't want to do all our activities, and that's fine," says digitalNATION's Waldeck. "But all our workers do some of our activities, so everybody has a chance to have fun with co-workers."

Setting limits is also important to making socializing work for your business. "The boundaries between work and play can blur," warns DuBrin. "Workers can spend too much time on horseplay, and their work can suffer." The antidote is to establish guidelines that make it clear that although yours is a workplace that embraces social activities, the work has to get out promptly and well.

"You need to manage social activities," says Nelson, and that means it becomes your job to take initiative whenever productivity is threatened. Your employees will understand if you need to put their focus on a high-priority project rather than a game of volleyball--just tell them straight, and more than likely they'll cooperate.

Is managing a slate of workplace social activities worth that extra effort? DigitalNATION's Waldeck has no doubt. "I grew up in Asia, where I learned that employee loyalty is a big factor in a company's success. And nothing creates loyalty like giving employees a workplace where they can have fun with friends," he says. "We compete against much bigger companies, but we're thriving, and that's because digitalNATION has and keeps excellent workers. It really does work."

Contact Sources

digitalNATION, (703) 642-2800, http://www.dedicatedserver.com

Franklin Covey Co., (800) 654-1776, http://www.franklincovey.com

Jamba Juice,http://www.jambajuice.com

Nelson Motivation Inc., (800) 575-5521, http://www.nelson-motivation.com

This article was originally published in the April 1999 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Fun and Games.