A few weeks ago my co-worker and I had the privilege of traveling to the University of Missouri St. Louis for a photo shoot for a future cover story. Of course I don’t want to give too much away about the story before the issue is released, but one thing really stuck with me after the visit – teamwork.
As the members of the department gathered for group photos, it was clear this team was special. Between all the laughter and joking it was easy to tell the group enjoyed hanging out with one another. It’s honestly a team dynamic everyone should strive for.
Watching the recreation team at the University of Missouri St. Louis interact, reminded me of my own work environment at Peake Media. Yes we work hard, but we also know how to have fun. In fact that is one of our core values — have fun, period.
While it is important to have a productive work environment, it is also essential to have a fun, enthusiastic and creative work atmosphere because that can lead to increased productivity. I find that enjoying work and the people I work with only makes me want to work harder.
I mean lets face it, with seven days in the week and five days spent at work, that’s about 80 percent of your week spent at work with your co-workers, so it’s a shame if you don’t enjoy it.
If you are struggling to develop a fun working environment within your recreation center, here are a few suggestions.
- Since you are in a fitness environment, take off work early one day and take a fitness class with your co-workers. Breaking a sweat is a great way to bond with team members.
- Schedule off-site lunches. Maybe once a month, plan a day where you all go out, try a new restaurant and grab some lunch. This is a prefect way to get out of the office, take a break and discuss things other than work.
- Host team bonding outings. It doesn’t have to be often, but maybe once a quarter, schedule an office adventure. Recently, the Peake Media team took a day trip to a local winery. It was an amazing way to decompress and hangout. Of course having food and wine was an added bonus.
- Handstand Fridays. Every Friday, we take a small break and do handstands. While this might seem silly and you don’t have to do the exact same thing, it is a great way to add some fun into the day.
If you have any fun office rituals, feel free to share!
