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Add More Fun to Your Company Culture

You know that nurturing a positive company culture is good for business. Not only does it help to attract high quality job applicants when you need to fill an open position, it also keeps your current staff engaged in their work. This means fewer absences, greater productivity and less employee turnover. But here’s something you may not have known: it can do all of that while still being fun.

Successful companies such as Google—with its nap pods, video games, foosball, and ping-pong tables—have proven it. They’re the best in their business, consistently ranking among top places to work and attracting more than 2.5 million job applicants every year. If you’d like to join them, consider these ways to add more fun to your own company’s culture.

Office Challenges: Whether you divide employees into random teams or pit departments against each other, competitions and fun challenges are a great way to build team member relationships and give your workers a break from job stress. You can do organize everything from chili cook-offs and track-and-field days to board game tournaments and kickball matches. The best part? Most of these ideas won’t cost you a dime.

Daily Fitness Opportunities: According to a survey conducted by CareerBuilder, 55 percent of employees consider themselves overweight. Adding daily fitness activities to your company culture is a fun way to help them tackle the problem while showing that you care about their health and wellbeing. Suggestions include encouraging walking meetings, starting the day with group calisthenics, even working in teams to build enough strength for 50 push-ups. And again, all free!

Unique Celebrations: Sure, it’s nice that you recognize your employees’ birthdays with a card. However, wouldn’t your workers feel more special if you acknowledged their big occasions with a day off, paid lunch with the boss or personal token of appreciation? The same goes for holidays. Have a pumpkin carving party in October, host a company turkey trot run in November, and toast the first week of the New Year with champagne.

Make Time for Fun: While you don’t have to allow them to goof off at their desks, encourage your team to get away from their office, cube or workspace during their breaks and have a little fun. Equip the break room with toys and video games. Set up a basketball hoop or volleyball net outside. Your employees will return to work refreshed and with greater focus.

Get Out: Treat your workers to an occasional field trip. Interacting outside the office will help them to bond in new ways, strengthening departmental and company-wide relationships. You might organize an opportunity, go on a mid-week picnic or gather at the local watering hole for an early happy hour. Whatever you choose to do, getting out of the office is always exciting.

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