Making work fun again

Things are starting to heat up in most greenhouses across the country—literally. For those growers who moth-balled their greenhouses since last fall, they are now starting to fill up with plants, and the heat has been cranked up to ensure crops finish in time.
 

Just as greenhouses are expanding with plants, so is the workforce that will be producing and shipping those plants. In a down economy with the national unemployment rate still over 9 percent, most workers are happy to just have a job. Budgets have been slashed, some employees have seen salary cuts and many companies are running on bare bones in regards to their spending and workforce, which has created tension and anxiety for many employees.

Building a community
Mark Evans at ME Consulting writing in The Globe and Mail said it might be time to bring some fun back to the workplace. He points out that an increasing number of employees, especially young workers, are looking for jobs that provide more than a paycheck. Some are looking for jobs that offer more meaning to their lives and others are looking for a job that actually brings them some fun.
 

Evans said companies should be doing more to “create an environment in which employees enjoy each other’s company.” He said this could go a long way in making the workplace feel like more than a job and more like a community.
 

This feeling of community he said can be “nurtured” by encouraging employees to get together for lunch and coffee breaks and hosting group activities and providing free lunches--especially during crunch times like making deadlines.
 

Evans said another way a job can be more fun is to allow employees to show their personalities. These can be small things such as letting employees decorate their work place with photos, mementos and other things that show their fellow workers what they do away from their jobs. He said by allowing people to add a personal touch, the work environment feels less corporate.
 

Evans said to incorporate games to help relieve stress and monotony. How many greenhouses have you visited and seen a basketball hoop in the parking lot or inside the head house? This is another way for employees to take a break, create a competitive spirit and just let off a little steam.
 

Every employee wants to be fairly compensated for the job they do, but as the economy improves, people will be looking for more than just a salary from their job. They’ll also be looking to have some fun.