The power of play: How games and puzzles can enhance your workday

Waking up, getting to work, and going about mundane every day can get repetitive and boring to many employees. This repetitiveness can lead to poor performance and productivity reduced job satisfaction and employee retention.

It is up to the leaders and employers to foster a culture that engages employees right as they enter the office. They should be ready to come in collaborate with the team and work on brainstorming fresh creative ideas. Incorporating games into the workplace can be the key to tuning their focus in at work.

Incorporating games, puzzles, and other fun activities in professional settings can ignite creative solutions within the workplace. Games and puzzles can push people to think out of the box while reducing the stress and burden of work. This can even invite collaboration across departments to figure puzzles out, which can lay the foundation for future cross-department projects. 

The benefits of play in the workplace

Games and puzzles can be a surprisingly effective tool when it comes to boosting productivity in the team. However, besides productivity and engagement, there are other, less-recognized benefits of incorporating play in the workplace. Let us take a look at some of the unique benefits games can offer our workplace:

• Stimulating creativity: Puzzles and games are meant to work your brain in tricky ways. It requires a substantial amount of creativity and problem-solving skills. Incorporating games can trigger creativity juices to start flowing in the workplace which provides opportunities for more unique approaches to projects.
• Reduces stress: Stress is a main hurdle that needs to be faced every day in most careers. This can be damaging to mental health, as elongated exposure to stress can put the brain in survival mode at all times. Incorporating games can be the breather employees need in the middle of their workday. It can reduce stress which will make a huge difference in the long run.
• Improves teamwork: A company works best when collaboration is at optimum levels. However, achieving that level of collaboration can be difficult, and most companies lack such skills. Games and puzzles can tackle this by conducting team-based games and activities. This will enhance communication and familiarize people across departments, opening avenues to collaborate on future projects.

Figuring these puzzles and games out can be rewarding in itself. Each time employees figure these out can serve as morale and self-esteem boosters. This will reel in higher engagement levels which will boost productivity and team performance.

Incorporating games is an inexpensive way to trigger key metrics of the team to rise up. There are too many benefits to pass up on, your employees and company will thank you in the future.

Incorporating play into the workday

Incorporating play into the workday can be challenging. Every employee is busy working during the workday on the various tasks and projects they have been assigned. Finding the right time and space to incorporate a game or a puzzle can be difficult. Furthermore, setting the right duration for these game sessions is essential to ensure employees are engaged optimally.

Here we have curated a list of quick and easy ways to incorporate games and puzzles into work days:

• Short breaks with quick games: Incorporating regular breaks for short puzzles and games can be beneficial to maintain productivity throughout the day. A short puzzle will help employees take their mind off work, and lay off some steam. They can then go back to work with a fresh mind ready to take on new challenges.
• Structured play sessions: Organize play sessions within meeting timings to incorporate team-building puzzles and activities. This acts as an icebreaker and can get the conversation flowing in the team. Sneaking in ten minutes for fun team-building activities optimizes collaboration and creativity.
• Cultivate a culture of games: Fostering and nurturing a culture of play-friendly environment can greatly improve productivity in the long run. Having a collection of games accessible at all times for employees is important. Keeping fun office layouts, with hidden puzzles and riddles can keep the space enjoyable and professional.

Choosing the right games and puzzles

The common workplace is an intersection of diverse backgrounds. There are various personalities with varied experiences and cultures. This means the workplace needs to have games catering to the different employees.

Picking the right games and puzzles for the workplace collection is important. These games need to engage the employees and make them return to it to let steam off. Every team and company is unique which means there is no fast list to refer to best games. However, we have made a list of tips on how to pick the right games:

• Aligning with work goals: Choose games that align with work values and goals. Engaging employees in the workplace with career goals can motivate them. It can bring out the best in them with tight collaboration. Examples: Monopoly, Scavenger Hunt, Murder Mystery, etc.
• Research individual preferences: Sharing a list of potential puzzles and games catering to different personality types is important. There are many games suitable for introverts and extroverts, private and open people, nervous and confident people.

Everyone is a mix of these traits, some can be extroverted, open, and nervous, or introverted, private, and confident.

Examples of games: Two Truths and a Lie, Guess Who (company employee-tailored version), etc.

• Ensure accessibility and inclusivity: The games collection should be inclusive and accessible to all individuals. This helps ensure nobody is left out, and everyone gets an equal opportunity to participate.

Examples of games: Snakes and Ladders, Carrom, etc.

Games and puzzles are for all ages. These activities are timeless and can bring a group of strangers close together. Incorporating a culture of play and games can ensure employees prioritize relaxing and taking a break. This can benefit your employees’ wellbeing and morale, greatly improving the work culture and boosting your company's performance.

FAQs

How can we ensure that play does not distract from work?

Set clear guidelines and designated times for play to maintain productivity.

What types of games are best for reducing stress?

Simple puzzles, mindfulness games, and quick recreational activities are effective stress relievers.

How can we incorporate play without disrupting the office environment?

Use short, scheduled breaks and create designated play areas to avoid disruption.

Are there any specific games that are particularly good for team building?

Collaborative games like escape rooms, trivia challenges, and team-based puzzles are excellent for fostering teamwork.