Let’s Bring Back The Fun!
- Amy K Dilisio
- 10 hours ago
- 4 min read
Did you know that April is Stress Awareness Month and April 1 is Have Fun At Work Day? Let’s do a mash-up to lower stress and weave fun into our work life. As I like to keep focused on well-being, we cannot lose sight of the causes and cures of the modern-day stress epidemic and create an open conversation about how high demands and stressful situations negatively impact workplaces, not to mention your health and home. Stress can cause physical symptoms like headaches and muscle tension, emotional distress (anxiety, depression), and, when unmanaged, serious issues like cardiovascular disease.
According to Gallup, workplace stress and burnout have reached critical, record highs in 2026, with over 75% to 83% of workers reporting burnout symptoms. Nearly 50% of employees in the US and Canada experience daily high stress, leading to significant turnover risks. Key drivers include excessive workload (41%), 55+ hour work weeks, and 54% citing job insecurity.
It is time to bring the FUN back for your overall wellness, as well as for your colleagues'. Fun matters in the workplace as research shows it boosts creativity, increases collaboration, improves employee retention, and strengthens resilience. Talk about a win/win/win/win!
If you are stressed out and not having fun at work, it is time to make some changes.
Even if you are feeling trapped or unchallenged, today is your reminder that you own your career. Be empowered to make a change in your work life. Also, acknowledge when you are approaching burned-out status or becoming disengaged, or when work feels transactional rather than purposeful. When work stops being enjoyable, performance drops, and stress can creep in. Believe it or not, we can have fun at work while being productive. According to research from the “Happiness Advantage” by Shawn Achor, we will become more successful when we are happier and more positive. Here are a few ideas to get you started to bring back the F.U.N.:
F – Freedom
When team members have autonomy, flexibility, and ownership of their work, productivity increases. No one likes to be micromanaged because it challenges trust and diminishes the passion behind their purpose. However, creating workplace autonomy involves fostering trust, setting clear goals, and providing employees with resources and authority to manage their own tasks and schedules. Examples of ways to expand autonomy include offering flexible work environments and encouraging initiative and resourcefulness. Ensure employees know the goals and expectations, provide training and resources, then step away. Allow them to do it their way by determining their best approach and strategies for success.
Having ownership at work means taking initiative and accepting responsibility for your own success (or loss) as well as achieving the team’s goals (or not). Those with high ownership at work are prepared and ready to take on whatever challenges come their way. They have strong problem-solving skills and anticipate problems, preventing them before they happen rather than waiting for things to go wrong and scrambling to fix them. Employees who have the freedom and flexibility within their roles will be better able to “own it” the process, commit to it, and achieve the set goals.
U – Unite
When we get away from virtual meetings, get out of solo offices, and leave the cubicle behind, we can unite by fostering social connections, a sense of belonging, and familiarity with how best to support one another. When we engage with co-workers, build friendships, and participate in activities, we improve the overall workplace vibe and create a happier environment. By strengthening relationships, we can build and reinforce trust, celebrate wins, and share best practices. Consider implementing several of these gem ideas. Have daily team 10-minute “coffee chats” to share updates or catch up. Celebrating wins publicly can enhance creativity and productivity. Have a collaborative playlist for productivity or to relax. Organize a monthly social, such as a team lunch (no work talk allowed!) or an interest-based group like a book or walking club. It is essential to keep our humanity at the core of our workplace culture. We are human beings working together toward the same goal. When we determine the best way to support each other, it will create a much more enjoyable environment.
N – New Ideas = Creativity & Learning Opportunities
To keep the fun and positive flow in the workplace, focus on employee growth rather than just tasks and the bottom line. People enjoy work more when they feel they are evolving and growing, and when they have a voice in developing innovative ideas and initiatives. Employee growth is a critical driver of performance. Companies with a strong learning culture see a 57% retention rate. However, 74% of workers feel that a lack of development opportunities hinders their potential, resulting in lackluster performance. Consider a new way to present or brainstorm ideas, such as getting out of the office or gathering in a local park to open perspective. Hold creative problem-solving sessions across multiple departments to gather diverse viewpoints, and adjust meeting formats to break out of the humdrum that can hinder creativity.
Maintain the positive experience by fostering new ideas and creativity, and by encouraging learning opportunities. Offer team learning sessions or mini workshops on various topics or desired areas of growth. Challenge colleagues to learn one new skill each month or take an online course a quarter. Take on a stretch project to expand skills. Rotate responsibilities occasionally to increase exposure to alternative roles to widen team efficiencies and gain appreciation for others’ contributions.
Let this month’s theme place attention on what areas are stressful in your workplace. What can you do to lower it, or what changes can you make to make it more enjoyable for you? Fun is not the opposite of productivity — it fuels it. Fun comes from people and the culture they create, not just from teambuilding events. Organizations with engaged cultures encourage individual approaches, collaboration, and continual growth, resulting in higher productivity, stronger innovation, and healthier teams. When people enjoy their work, they don’t just perform — they thrive.
P.S. Need more ideas? I love these 2 books for inspiration: Find Your Happy At Work, Beverly Jones, and 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work, Hemsath/Yerkes.
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