Implementation of a Workplace Fun Policy

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4.0 The benefits of a fun policy

A fun policy is a tool management can use in order to shape organisational culture. The culture of an organisation is paramount to the success of the business (Memon 2014) as it determines how employees interact with one another, the level of staff turnover experienced and the creativity. These factors are ultimately fundamental to the profitability of every organisation, and thus must be of concern to management.

4.1 Benefits – group cohesiveness

Group cohesiveness is determined by a variety of factors, both external such as competition and threats, as well as internal through the addition of new employees for example (Romero 2006). Aspect Architects may currently be facing issues fusing the younger and older employees as a result of the unique values, belief systems and communication method each generation will hold. This is mainly due to the polarity in the social and political environment of each era conjuring varying norms (Lamm & Meeks 2009). Managers at Aspect Architects can assist in uniting these two groups through creating a positive culture, reducing external pressures and internal conflict. Humour can be used as to create mutual understanding, promoting comradery (Romero 2006). To illustrate, a company threated by times of tough competition may use aggressive humour to make jokes about their competition. In doing so, the employees lower the credibility and authority of the competition, thus elevating group esteem and feelings of empowerment (Romero 2006). The use of shared humour creates an association with the positive emotions and group membership, increasing group cohesiveness between diverse individual. Trust and loyalty can also be established as each employee becomes a member of a now identifiable entity, recognised through a common culture (Romero 2006). Graduates and Baby Boomers can work in harmony once the culture permits this.

4.2 Benefits - Lower turnover

High turnover rates can have detrimental consequences for both a company and its employees. Both practitioners and academic researchers agree the costs associated with high turnover, including recruitment, selection and training, mean it is essential that organisations understand the factors that are associated with this behaviour (Griffeth and Hom 2001). To illustrate, according to Fitz-enz (1997), an organization loses approximately one million dollars (direct and indirect costs) to replace ten professional employees. A significant determinate of turnover rates is the relationship between the values employees hold and the culture of an organisation (Memon 2014). Currently, Aspect Architects have a turnover problem, largely due to the discrepancy between its employees and culture. Young graduate architects are quickly leaving the organisation in search of a ‘fun’ culture, while the older baby boomers appear to lack the desire to move on which will eventually lead to short staffing when retirement presents itself. Evidence collected by the manager highlights that the core business operations plays no part in an employee’s departure. Rather, their decision to leave is purely based on the lack of a fun culture and old-fashioned reputation of Aspect Architects. The business is at a crucial time where they face the retirement of many knowledgeably employees, however, do not have the new generation to take over. Ensuring graduates fit into the culture will mean management can shape these new employees through the knowledge of the older current employees. That is why enacting the fun policy immediately will be significantly beneficial to Aspect Architects as they move with the natural cycle of their employee base.

4.3 Benefits – Greater creativity

An important aspect to further support the introduction of humour to the workplace is the type of creative work Aspect Architect engages in. Repeatedly, literature provides evidence that humour is associated with creative thinking (O’Quin & Derks 2002; Humke & Schafer 1996; Murdock &

Ganim 1993). Humour has been associated to the openness to new ideas through relaxation, making one less likely to criticize errors or dismiss new ideas thus leading to risk taking (Morreall 1991). In an organisation that specialises in designing unique buildings, if the tendency to criticise is absent, this creates an environment that allows employees to act on creative thinking and implement new ideas without hesitation. Humour is contagious, therefore fostering a ‘fun mood’ will permeate throughout the whole organisation exposing the employees to creative problem solving (Isen et al. 1987). Organisations such as Google, Pixar Animation studies and Yahoo have all benefited from encouraging their employees to have fun while at work (Newstrom 2002). These company’s devote substantial resources to create a playful and creative work environment. For example, Google’s Head Quarters contains Lego play stations, ladders to connect floors and dogs wondering the corridors1.

5.0 Conclusion

In order to continue Aspect Architects organisational goal and CEO mission to increase employee productivity and reduce labour turnover, the HR manager Sandra Olson is advised to implement a fun policy in accordance to the guidelines discussed above.

References

Ali Memon, M., Salleh, R., & Rosli Baharom, M. (2014). Linking Person-Job Fit, Person-Organization Fit, Employee Engagement and Turnover Intention: A Three-Step Conceptual Model. Asian Social Science, 11(2). doi:10.5539/ass.v11n2p313

Benedetto, R., & Thompson, K. (2013). Creating an Optimal Culture: The Emergence of the Entangled Organization. Empl. Rel. Today, 39(4), 13-19. doi:10.1002/ert.21384

Lamm, E., & Meeks, M. (2009). Workplace fun: the moderating effects of generational differences. Employee Relations, 31(6), 613-631. doi:10.1108/01425450910991767

Plester, B. (2009). Crossing the line: boundaries of workplace humour and fun. Employee Relations, 31(6), 584-599. doi:10.1108/01425450910991749

Plester, B., Cooper-Thomas, H., & Winquist, J. (2015). The fun paradox. Employee Relations, 37(3), 380-398. doi:10.1108/er-04-2013-0037

Romero, E., & Cruthirds, K. (2006). The use of humor in the workplace. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 34(3), 18-18. doi:10.1109/emr.2006.261378

Tews, M., Michel, J., & Allen, D. (2014). Fun and friends: The impact of workplace fun and constituent attachment on turnover in a hospitality context.