Guest Column: Playing on the clock boosts staff morale, productivity

The golfers out there are probably horrified at this concept. Sure, it’s a great thing to build relationships while enjoying a hot dog between holes on the back nine, but actually working on the golf course is simply against the rules.

What if I said that I was playing golf in my office? It’s true – I have an auto-return putting cup sitting in my office that gets frequent use by me and others in my office (even as I write this article). There are two putters leaning against my bookshelf along with four ladies’ golf balls that my wife accidentally purchased for me. I put them in a few months ago, and people have slowly discovered them. In fact, there are office records from various distances. It’s not uncommon to see people take turns putting while talking through a problem.

Playing at work can be very controversial. Many companies ban games at work including computer games, office sports and card games. Some companies, however, are beginning to rethink this philosophy. A study from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands showed that employees who were allowed to play computer games at work for up to one hour per day scored higher in employee satisfaction and productivity. How can you be more productive if you are playing games?

Few people can sit and be productive in any one activity for more than a few hours at a time. Have you ever had a difficult problem to solve and worked hours and hours to solve it, only to have a solution come to you when you stopped thinking about the problem or approached it after doing something else?

One of the hardest things for anyone to do is to confront facts. For those of you familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, you will find that confronting facts is one of the most advanced skills a human can master. Do employers acknowledge the fact that employees cannot be productive 100 percent of the time?

While sitting at a desk might be the traditional way of solving a problem, what is wrong with discussing a problem over a game of ping-pong or a game of pool? Physical activity relieves stress and improves fitness. Strategy games such as the computer games used in the Utrecht study improve cognitive skills and improve morale.

Employers who acknowledge these facts can begin to take real advantage of the possibilities. Instead of allowing a random dartboard or golf putting challenge to spring up here and there in the office, why not coordinate activities to allow people to get the recharge they need? Sponsoring games to teach employees how to work together as a team or on individual mind exercises to teach specific skills are great ways to take advantage of down time. Coming up with new, creative games will be fun for the employee and employer.

What about games played outside of the office? A constant, unchanging environment often leads to constant and unchanging thinking. Sometimes a new environment can lead to a new and powerful perspective. For employees who are used to staying on the job site all day, something as simple as an off-site meeting can be a refreshing change that will encourage new ideas.

The words “work” and “play” are often considered to be opposites. But if organizational leaders acknowledge that “work” and “play” are not mutually exclusive, they can begin to improve productivity, develop their employees, create a common vision and raise their employee morale. Companies who are able to acknowledge this reality are more fun, more creative, more focused and ultimately more profitable.

Don Harkey owns Galt Consulting LLC in Springfield, working with clients to reduce costs, improve quality and establish clear visions. He may be reached at donharkey@galtconsulting.biz.[[In-content Ad]]