How to ...bring more fun into the workplace

We spend a lot of our time at work, and what we experience in the workplace we take home in the evenings and at weekends to our families.

For this reason, Graham McGregor, CEO of RoyalMnandi, a specialist outsourced catering company, believes it is important to have fun while at work.

"It is an absolute necessity for the workplace to be a fun environment where challenges are part of the fun," he says.

McGregor suggests a few ways in which employees and employers can inject a spirit of fun into the workplace:

• The company strategy, mission, vision and values must be clearly understood by everyone. A culture of inclusivity and understanding is the foundation for building a fun workplace. Fun can only be created in an environment where the company values are understood and promoted;
•  Have more brainstorming sessions to encourage the free flow of ideas and concepts, and allow employees to express their views and opinions freely in open forums. People like to contribute and be creative;
• Get employees to interact with each other and understand everyone's unique strengths. Everyone likes to learn something new. Try new collaborative training techniques, for example, paint, draw and build;
•  Take a break from e-mail and encourage employees to interact face-to-face;
•  Be energetic and reassuring and realise that your personality contributes to the personality of the company. Participate and be proactive in the work environment;
• Recognise that your work will affect your colleagues and their experience at work. Each of us can make our workplace more fun by the way we treat our colleagues.