Is Part D getting to ya? Feelin’ a bit stressed at work? If so, it’s time to lighten up and bring some fun and laughter into the work place! One way to do this is to visit www.Playfair.com. Playfair is comprised of a group of four dynamic people who provide fun, interactive, informational and inspirational sessions that focus on:
- Teamwork
- Reward and recognition
- Humor in the workplace
- Creativity
- Customer service
- Employee retention
- Living a healthier work life and personal life
Last spring at the Senior Medicare Patrol conference California Health Advocates invited one of Playfair’s speakers, Fran Solomon to lead a two-hour workshop that had us laughing, out of our chairs, using our imagination, and learning about one another in fun, interactive ways. We practiced celebrating our successes with energetic-fist-in-the-air ‘YESes’!—a technique to be practiced regardless of the ‘size’ of success (e.g. could be anything from finishing a report to remembering to turn off the bathroom light on your way out). In pairs we practiced asking our partners “So what do you like about yourself?....What else?...What else?”…continually stretching each other’s positive view of ourselves. If one person ever reached a block, not knowing what else to say, they were instructed to throw their hands in the air and say, “Everything!!” These activities got us out of our ‘normal’ ways of seeing and interacting with ourselves, each other, and situations and helped us connect with more energy, lightness, creativity, and humor.
Playfair’s website discusses the importance of having fun at work, mentioning that:
- Employers can better keep their most talented people by creating an exciting atmosphere where employees want to come to work. The intentional use of fun and play on the job is a great way to create an enthusiastic and committed workforce.
- Happy and healthy employees are more creative, more productive, get along better with co-workers and have greater corporate loyalty and a healthier work/life balance.
- An atmosphere of fun at work in any organization facilitates flexibility, change and better communication.
The site’s Playfair Store also has a list of resources to guide and inspire this process of creating more fun and less stress. Some helpful books listed include “Work Like Your Dog: 50 Ways to Work Less, Play More, and Earn More” and “Playfair: Everybody’s Guide to Non-Competitive Play.” Resources include audiocassettes, CDs, and even a custom-made stress kit complete with three wacky vegetable pens (assorted flavors) for writing large checks, one wind-up toy for your desktop, one red foam clown nose for traffic jams, and the Laughter, Stress and Self-Esteem audiocassette.
In addition, the site has a section with simple, fun things people can do now to increase fun and lightness in the workplace. Some of these ideas include:
- Ask all employees to bring in baby photos or pet pictures or High School yearbook photos to post on the bulletin board. Then guess who's who.
- Bring in a Traveling Bouquet. Bring in a bouquet of flowers and present it to a co-worker. Tell him or her, I want you to keep this on your desk for the next half-hour. Then pass it on to someone else and tell them to do the same!
- Hold a Company Limo Lottery. Hold a lottery where the winner gets driven to and from work in the company limo. (If you don't have a company limo, rent one for the day!)
- Offer your employees some unusual gifts (like letting staff leave two-hours early or offering free housecleaning certificates) to celebrate the day.
- Take some Joy Breaks during the day and teach all your employees the art of scarf juggling…or play marbles together.
- Hire an On-site Masseuse for the day.
- Take a group photo portrait of your office mates dressed up for Clash Dressing Day ... or Polka Dots Day ... or Suspender Day ... or Pajama Day ... or Bad Hair Day!
- Dog Days of Spring: Let all employees bring their pets to work with them for this fun day celebration!
- Send yourself or co-workers a Standing Ovation: This is an email link on Playfair’s site that allows you to send a standing ovation to anyone for a boost of support, cracking a smile, or just celebrating someone for who they are!
With the stress and growing workload experienced with the onset of Medicare Part D, treat yourself and your staff – visit Playfair and enjoy and learn from a fun-filled, inspiring workshop that will bring humor, creativity, and fun to your office and life!
