April 24th, 2024 - Toys at Work

When I meet new people and I share that I’m a Playful Work Design consultant, I often have to explain what it truly means to PLAY at work. People’s minds usually go to ping-pong tables in the office or virtual trivia over video calls.

Some are surprised to hear it’s deeper than that - addressing four pillars: flexibility/autonomy, inclusion, mission, and psychological safety. A common phrase I share is “Play isn’t just fun and games” (in fact, I even did a whole DisruptHR talk on that topic!)

But sometimes, it IS just about a little fun. Sometimes, it is just about toys! Do you have toys in your office? One of my favorite things about video calls is getting to see what kind of toys folks have in their space. A great example is Chelsea, who has a LEGO Iron Man head that holds her headphones!

I’ve been in offices that have a game shelf. That’s not a bad idea, but we can do better. I recommend tossing a great desk toy into the swag branding rotation. Instead of aNoThEr water bottle - how about a Shashibo cube? (That is an affiliate link, thanks for supporting me as a small business!) Whenever I have one of my Shashibo cubes with me, it is such a huge hit! Another great option is a Plus-Plus Isoscape (not an affiliate link) - you can build a tiny landscape/scene right at your desk (the waterfall at the cabin is my favorite).

An important note here is to be sure to ASK your people what kind of toy they might like! As hard as it is for me to believe this, not everyone loves LEGO (that was so hard to even type). Play is PERSONAL (the first of 8 characteristics) and can be specific to each’s Personal Play Identity (whimsical, intellectual, relational, and/or lighthearted).

So don’t just get 100 random fidget spinners and send them out, expecting great celebration, instead - dig into your team’s personal play identities and learn how to leverage the diverse play styles of your team to enhance communication, collaboration, and creativity so you can develop strategies for creating a more playful and engaging team environment. Fortunately for you, I have a workshop designed for this very purpose! Learn more here!

Haven’t done a parentheses count in a while - 7!

Acey Holmes

Acey Holmes helps companies keep teams happy and attract top quality talent through workplace culture audits, consulting, and facilitation based in the neuroscience of play.

https://www.beboredless.com
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May 15th, 2024

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April 12th, 2024 - How can you create positive impact?