Some work and lots of Play

There is a persistent belief in the professional world that work must be serious to be meaningful.

That if we are laughing, experimenting, or approaching something with curiosity, we must not be focused enough. Not committed enough. Not professional enough.

But new research CONTINUES to challenge that narrative.

A recent article by Mireia Las Heras highlights findings from a study published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology showing that playfulness at work is not frivolous but in fact, it is a strategic resource. Employees who proactively design their work to be more playful experience greater energy, stronger relationships, better health behaviors, and improved performance. Even more compelling, that playful energy “spills over” into their personal lives, creating a virtuous cycle of well-being and renewed engagement.

This is not about forcing fun Fridays or turning offices into playgrounds.

It is about what researchers call playful work design: the intentional reframing of tasks to make them more engaging, challenging, or creatively stimulating. It is Mary Poppins’ “spoonful of sugar,” but grounded in organizational psychology.

In my work, I define play using eight* characteristics drawn from cross-disciplinary research: it is joyful, personal, optional, beneficial, intrinsically motivating, seemingly purposeless, actively engaging, and iterative (sometimes social*). When those conditions are present, our brains release powerful neurochemicals that enhance creativity, problem-solving, resilience, and connection.

We also see this reflected in the science of flow. As Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi demonstrated, when challenge and skill are balanced and intrinsic motivation is high, we enter an optimal state of consciousness where we feel and perform at our best. Play is one of the most accessible pathways into that state.

What stood out to me most in this study was the spillover effect. When one partner in a dual-earner couple engaged in playful work design, it positively influenced their well-being at home. Playfulness became a shared resource. That is powerful. Work does not stay at work. The energy we build (or deplete) moves with us.

For leaders, this should matter.

Encouraging playfulness does not mean lowering standards. It means increasing autonomy. It means allowing people to approach their work with creativity, curiosity, and ownership. It means modeling lightness without sacrificing accountability. It means aligning play with purpose so that engagement is not surface-level, but deeply rooted in meaning.

In the IGN!Te framework I use with teams, play is not a perk. It is the driver. It fuels inclusive cultures, flexible environments, mission-driven work, and psychologically safe teams. Without it, we default to rigidity. With it, we create adaptability and sustainable performance.

Play is not the opposite of work. It is often the reason work becomes its best version.

If you are a leader, here is a simple question to reflect on this week: Where in your team’s workflow is there room for more ownership, creativity, or experimentation? Not as an extra task, but as a different way of approaching what is already there.

Adults deserve to play, especially at work.