Work for Fun!

Following the trail of breadcrumbs yesterday, I spent some time over at MissingLink - the Jo'bloggers "work" site. Half-way through, I found myself thinking "this looks like a totally FUN place to work!"

Hold on - FUN and WORK in the same sentance? You betcha! What other company keeps an online record of their tattoos, or pulls off stomach-slides on corporate boardroom tables - and posts the pics!

Well, this morning I set out to find out if there were any others out there.

A while back Oprah featured the best company to work for, so that's where I started. Her vote (and the vote of a good few others) was for SAS Institute. Their philosophy is that happy employees create satisfied customers. They offer "two on-site childcare centers, an eldercare information and referral program, an employee health care center, wellness programs, a 77,000 square-foot recreation and fitness facility, and many other work-life programs."

Sounds good - but is it FUN? Maybe, maybe not. It's nice to be pampered, to have your needs met, to be given the freedom and time to enjoy all those perks. But it may not be FUN as such.

Fischer-Price claims "it's fun to work here!" (though trying to access their site was NOT fun - I couldn't get it). I guess spending your day playing with kids and their toys can be fun - if you're barely out of your kid years yourself. But if you don't particularly get along with kids, or never enjoyed playing with Fischer-Price goodies, it may not be as fun as they claim.

Then there's Hotel Monaco Chicago, where it's fun to be a guest (and receive a goldfish in a bowl on registering, to keep you company - because they're pet-friendly, and if you didn't bring a pet you can borrow one of theirs...), but it may not be fun to work there. It could take a lot of effort to "Explore your inner child, every day. Help our guests find theirs," "Take our guests and employees on an odyssey of WOW," "Embrace your discomfort zone," and "Laugh uncontrollably. The guests will join you." I think I may go nuts having to do all that. Or perhaps already be nuts to work there.

Of course if you work for a non-fun corporation, you could always add "bits of fun". Some folk may not be amused though.

A friend works at a company that holds theme days. Every Friday they all dress up according to the week's theme, are served theme-related foods, everything is decorated around the theme etc. Quite fun, but the rest of the week ain't.

Trawling the net I found lots of "how to's" for introducing fun into the workplace, or for special fun events, but very few truly fun places to work at.

Is it possible to run a fun company? I think so, but they are few and far between.

You can find a couple in Ireland, apparently....

Perhaps it has something to do with management and leadership style. The Big Boss at the Top and Supportive Underlings model doesn't sound much fun. You're more likely to be chained to your post to produce or else than you are to have fun doing it. Putting on a suit and tie doesn't sound like fun either... But have a "facilitator" instead of a manager - may work a bit better!

Perhaps it has something to do with hiring folk fresh out of the local mental institution. The more quirky characters you have around, the more fun you'll have. But, on a recent trip to Primi Piatti for lunch, I discovered having people around who are permanently nuts (as in the waiters at this particular brand of restaurant) can get a bit irritating. Actually, a LOT irritating.

Many times you'll find more fun in creative jobs (advertising for example) than in the getting-down-to-big-business ones. I guess those who have careers in the arty/creative field are generally more likely to be open to fun at work? However, I know of one big company that thinks working for them is fun.

Perhaps it's a work mind-set change - seeing work as more than just a job you do to bring in cash so that you can afford to eat and live. Rather seeing work as a vocation, a calling, a passion - using your God-given skills and the things you love to live while you work, and not just exist.

Perhaps it's the chance to work somewhere different (employee exchange), and still keep your job.

Perhaps it has something to do with your company being mostly young people, instead of those nearing retirement, or those who should have already retired but cling to their job with all they have.

Perhaps it has something to do with the extra-curricular. It's not just a job that you turn up at and work on from 8 to 5, then drag your feet home again. There are other things going on, things you WANT to get involved in - whether in working hours or outside of them. Makes a few more connections between employees than if you all turn up (on time!) to sit in your little cubicles, work franctically, then go home again.

Perhaps a large part of it has something to do with social responsibility. The MissingLink guys pick a charity and do good things for it, many other companies find ways to give back to those around them - raising funds for a cause, or going out into the community and contributing. I've seen companies send out a team of runners for a competition, or a team of volleyball players, or a team of just about anything. Internal team building, external "doing what matters". Good stuff. Doesn't only build up the company's image, but builds up the folk who get involved.

Perhaps a fun workplace is something different for each of us.

Personally, I'd love a creative workplace that allows me time to discover and think before having to complete tasks, that doesn't chain me to a desk for set hours but allows me the freedom to work where I best can, when I best can, that fosters a sense of togetherness among staff, that isn't afraid to be wacky, or to get involved with important issues.

But that's just me.

::update::
If you're in South Africa, tonight's 3-talk (5:30, SABC3) is going to be looking at weird jobs. That could be fun! :)