Awhile back I wrote about my core values and beliefs, the ideology I was crafting to help shape what I wanted out of a career. I placed “having fun” and “loving what I do” at the top of my list because I’d spent far too much of my life in demoralizing environments where it seemed the people in charge were committed to sucking as much life out of the atmosphere as possible.
I ran across a piece at Library Journal that talks about “lightening up” our libraries in the face of budgetary shortfalls, staff cuts, and increased demand for services while operating on a diminishing budget. in it, Michael Stephens and Michael Casey argue that rather than becoming more serious in these serious times, libraries should become more fun. What makes a fun library? The authors write:
A “fun†library, our peers (on Twitter) have told us, depends on the tone established by administrators and also lets patrons who don’t necessarily come for reading still enjoy being in the building.
“When they’re laughing, they’re listening,†write Adrian Gostick, a lecturer and educator in strategic communication and leadership from Seton Hall University, NJ, and Scott Christopher, a humorist and columnist, in their recent book, The Levity Effect (Wiley). “Fun at work can provide a competitive advantage, help attract and retain employees, and provide the spark to jumpstart creativity.â€
I can say with certainty (and relief!) that I work in an environment that encourages staff to be creative and to enjoy their time in service. Our yearly staff conference gives us the opportunity to share in a few more light-hearted pursuits (such as a Wii gaming tournament, or a ‘Secrets of the Library’ tour), and even though my time here has been short, I know that the support I receive from managers and peers makes me a more productive employee, and inspires a sense of stewardship that I’ve never felt anywhere else.
Being playful and creative puts us in touch with the side of ourselves that so many of us set aside when we’re told to “grow up” or to “act our age”. When our parents tell us it’s time to “get serious about our studies” or when they ask us repeatedly “what do you want to be when you grow up”, or “what kind of job are you going to get with a B.A. in English?” they unwittingly are setting us on a path that takes us away from the very skills we need to retain a sense of individuality and purpose when working in large organizations or in corporate environments.
Yet I’ve seen a shift in recent years, and I think people of my age group are at the forefront of this shift in organizational culture. We work hard for our companies (and for ourselves) but we also want to feel like we’re a part of something greater, that we’re all in this together, so we might as well try to work together to make our environments as enjoyable as possible. We work hard - but we play with a purpose.
What does your work environment do to encourage creativity and fun in its employees? Do you set aside time each day to do something fun at work?
