Fun at Work

Question 1

The concept of fun is itself ambiguous and doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing to all people.

Answer 1

fun

Question 2

The notion of then trying to implement such a thing in a varied workplace is complex.

Answer 2

complex

Question 3

It has been assumed that everyone experiences fun in similar ways, that it is social rather than solo, and is childlike in nature, yet there is no evidence to support this.

Answer 3

experiences

Question 4

Further, it was believed that if employees were having fun at work they would be more inclined to commit, be more motivated, and more creative.

Answer 4

commit

Question 5

With this in mind managers figured it should be easy to institute a culture of fun in the workplace, and there have certainly been some wonderful success stories, however, it appears not to be quite so straight forward.

Answer 5

easy

Question 6

This essay seeks to explore the obstacles to implementing a culture of fun in organisations.

Answer 6

obstacles

Question 7

Organisational theory indicates that it is often difficult for management to institute change within organisations and that imposing change on a workforce can generate conflict.

Answer 7

change

Question 8

This could be because management is thereby trying to change the inherent culture of the workplace.

Answer 8

inherent culture

Question 9

It is argued that workplaces develop a culture that is specific to themselves and that this culture has three levels.

Answer 9

develop

Question 10

The first level, the artefact level, is the culture that is displayed by the group in the form of dress, language, myths, rituals, and so on. Fun at work would be manifest at this level, but would be determined by the following two levels.

Answer 10

artefact

Question 11

The second level, espoused values, which includes the goals, strategies and philosophy of the organisation. This level can be resistant to fun at work because it does not fit with the founding principles of the organisation.

Answer 11

espoused

Question 12

The third and deepest level is the underlying assumptions, which includes the unconscious and taken-for-granted beliefs and feelings of the group, and from which come the values and actions of the organisation.

Answer 12

underlying assumptions

Question 13

This model shows how difficult it can be to institute change within an organisation particularly when it goes against a deeply entrenched corporate culture.

Answer 13

corporate culture

Question 14

Several issues are highlighted with this organisational theory in mind. Firstly, management is likely to encounter resistance to any fun at work scheme when there is a failure to consult with subordinate staff, resulting in subversive fun, which is destructive to morale.

Answer 14

consult

Question 15

This might suggest that a disconnect was created by management between the espoused values and the basic assumptions of the organisational culture.

Answer 15

disconnect

Question 16

Secondly, paternalistic attempts to institute fun at work can be seen by workers as inauthentic and patronising because, as mentioned, fun is an ambiguous term and is not applied by all in the same way, thus managers may try to apply a version of fun that is seen as condescending by workers.

Answer 16

inauthentic and patronising

Question 17

Thirdly, employees may be resistant to fun at work because it does not fit with their idea of the work environment. Here the boundaries between work and play are being blurred and for some this endangers the self-respect and dignity they derive from their work.

Answer 17

environment

Question 18

For fun at work to succeed it needs to be authentic and natural. Therefore, the fun needs to come from the workers rather than as a management initiative, although that doesn’t mean that management shouldn’t encourage and support the efforts of the employees.

Answer 18

workers

Question 19

While management can participate in and assist the fun model they should avoid being seen as the instigator and director of a particular paradigm of fun, as may well suggest condescension, i.e ‘the managers make us where silly hats on Thursdays’.

Answer 19

condescension

Question 20

Further, the model of fun must not compromise dignity and respect.

Answer 20

dignity and respect

Question 21

When the fun at work is determined by the workers there is a far greater chance that the result will become part of the corporate culture on all three levels.

Answer 21

determined

Question 22

Fun will become part of the behaviour of the artefact level, a sanctioned philosophy and strategy of the espoused values of the organisation, and an underlying assumption that in this workplace we are able to combine fun and work in an effective and respectful way.

Answer 22

artefact, espoused, underlying assumption

Question 23

A better question may be, is there a need to institute a ‘fun at work’ philosophy in every workplace? Perhaps, some workplaces a just fine without such things.

Answer 23

every workplace