After over a year of being stuck at home, we grew tired of wearing pyjamas to work and were raring to get back to our regular routines. Yet, the shine has now worn off and the office environment is beginning to feel a little dull once again. It’s quieter than usual as many people take advantage of the new hybrid working approach, switching the usual buzz to a soft hum with fun office environment.
If your work environment is beginning to feel a bit lacklustre, there are plenty of things you can introduce to lift the atmosphere. Between fun lunchtime activities and a designated pet day, there are workplace wellbeing initiatives everyone in the office will get enjoyment from.
Here are some suggestions for creating a fun office environment which will lift the spirits of everyone, from the caretaker to the accountant.
Dog day
Many people welcomed a dog into their family over lockdown, so why not have a day where workers bring their dogs to work? Your colleagues will love the chance to meet your furry friend and pets always bring joy and laughter to a room.
Ensure you put together some rules for the day to make sure there are no safety hazards to employees or pets. One such rule could be that dogs are to be kept on a lead, for example. Choose a quiet day for the event, so that clients won’t be interrupted when coming in for meetings or pitches.
Implement a weekly social
If you and your colleagues are missing your staff socials, why not start a weekly event after work? You could have a few drinks, play some silly games and enjoy spending some time together again. If some of the team are working from home, set up a Teams meeting so that no one misses out if they can’t make it to the office.
Yoga classes
Many yoga teachers offer lunchtime classes to businesses, and with all the time we spend sitting at a desk, stretching out those tight muscles is not a bad idea. Along with physical benefits like increased strength and flexibility, yoga is extremely helpful for maintaining good mental health and a positive mindset. What better way to switch off from work than with a bit of downward dog!
Create a wall of fame
Let’s face it, we all had something memorable happen on a Zoom call during lockdown. Start a “Wall of Fame” to keep a record of all the hilarious, embarrassing or downright ridiculous things that happened when everyone was working from home. You could even have a social catch-up to decide who goes on the wall. Example categories could include “Most often on mute”, “Most interrupted by pet” and “Best Zoom background”.
Decorate the office space
As Brits, we pride ourselves on humour, so adding a few comedic posters will bring a splash of fun to the office, while making your colleagues smile. Printing specialist instantprint has produced a range of brilliant post-Covid posters, including captions like “Zoom-free meeting zone” and “Which brew are you?”. When creating a fun office environment use stencils to decorate the wall and create the look you are going for.
Start celebrating birthdays
Spending your birthday at work isn’t usually much fun, but it won’t take much effort to make someone’s big day feel special. Decorate the space with a birthday banner and some brightly coloured balloons. Arrange for someone to bake a cake and get the whole team to sign a birthday card. Your colleague will appreciate the effort everyone has made and will have a much happier birthday than they would usually while working.
