Self-discipline is important for establishing habits that help us complete tasks and feel productive.
Read that again, and then admit that it’s one of the most boring sentences ever. As if discipline never lets us down when we’re struggling to start a new task. When we’re feeling tired or overwhelmed, is it discipline (and discipline alone) that helps us power through? Is discipline your favorite coworker?
Of course not. Humans require curiosity, drive, unity, and joy when engaging with anything for sustained periods of time. Fun can inspire all of those feelings. It’s a key reason why HeyTaco uses gamification to help recognition become a habit. However, there are more ways to ritualistically add little pockets of fun into work that lead to better outcomes for all.
But first, here’s why adding fun to team rituals is a huge plus for team productivity.
What studies say about having fun at work
Every year, Fortune magazine runs a list of the 100 best places to work. Much of the ranking is determined by anonymous employee feedback measuring satisfaction in areas like trust and fairness.
But fun was what stood out to experts who unspooled feedback and company rankings for Harvard Business Review. Around 81% of the employees working for companies that made the list describe their workplace as fun. Of companies that didn’t make the list, only 62% said they were having any fun.
Here’s some more evidence lending credibility to the idea that fun adds a lot to company performance, reputation, retention, and more.
Humor, not optimism, can enhance resilience
Discipline only gets us so far when we’re feeling discouraged. Resilience is what helps us regard challenges as part of the job, not the end of the world.
One paper published in the Journal of Gorgan University of Medical Sciences examines how fun can be beneficial in really stressful roles, like nursing. Optimism did not have a favorable impact on resilience, but humor did.
Positivity is a must at work. Recognition programs train employees to notice and appreciate the positive daily. However, this isn’t the lone intervention for rising stress and pressure. In many of these cases, laughter is more authentically motivating than some assurance, such as “You can do it!”
Fun can increase team productivity
As you take all of this in, you may well wonder:
Exactly what type of fun are we talking about here? 🤨
A Cornell study focusing on the hospitality industry has some potential answers. Celebrating milestones, enjoying teambuilding activities, and even friendly competition boosted performance across employees at a national restaurant chain.
What didn’t increase performance was encouragement from management to “have fun.” It helped reduce turnover, sure, but we all see how that can be interpreted as a lax attitude toward productivity. Organized events, appreciation rituals, and opportunities for camaraderie are real, motivating fun.
Strengthen employee engagement with fun
Employee engagement is like love–a broad concept that is found at the root of everything good. One study examines fun in the workplace across various industries. There is a correlation between having fun and strong engagement.
The paper also explores the impact of various types of fun on engagement. Spontaneous, organic fun, such as the camaraderie we experience among coworkers, ranks high.
So does the fun that comes from the act of performing their roles. Many employees see parts of their workflow as fun. Building non-disruptive rituals around work can enhance that.
Having fun at work supports creativity and reduces stress
We all want to cool the symptoms of burnout before they set fire to our retention rates. A recent study encourages organizations to design team activities to help bust up stress as well as celebrate work achievements.
Doing so shows promise in exercising more creativity as well as supporting productivity. The researchers cite humor, playfulness, and flexibility as key ingredients for a fun experience in the workplace.
Fun team bonding activities to try this week
To start acclimating employees to easy, everyday rituals, check out our recent list of 10 remote-friendly team rituals. Here are a few more ideas to help make a habit of reducing stress through humor and fun–without sacrificing team productivity.
1. Meme of the week
One of the best ways to insert some resilience-building humor. Once a week, invite employees to share their most relatable memes in the team chat. Externalizing frustrations in a lighthearted way can be like hitting a pressure release valve.
2. Fail Fridays
We all make mistakes, but it doesn’t feel that way sometimes. Celebrate the week’s most spectacular fails. Unpacking (and laughing at) human error makes us feel like we’re not alone in the struggle. It also gives us closure, so we can move on to something better.
3. Soundtrack collaboration
Music can create a mood, but it also eases stress and supports a creative flow state. Have employees co-create a soundtrack for a project phase or other task. They can stream their playlist remotely or in the office for a shared productivity push.
More tips on how to improve team productivity
Yes, you can loosen up on the proverbial reins without creating distractions or lowering expectations. Belonging in the workplace depends heavily on employees getting to be themselves, being a human with a personality, and remaining valued and accepted.
Fun helps break the ice and invite people into the fold. As a result, people will strive to do their best work.
Final tips for team rituals:
Break up routines, not workflows
A change of scenery or modification to a process can add interest and even be adopted as a team ritual. Walking meetings, coworking hours with music, and other habits add interest and spur creativity without reducing productivity.
Get the right tools to support team productivity and bonding
As we see it, there are two major reasons why HeyTaco remains the #1 peer recognition app. First, gamification adds fun. Elements like leaderboards and Tacotars make it feel inclusive and lighthearted.
But more importantly, seamless integration means camaraderie takes mere seconds and isn’t interrupting workflows. Learn more about how HeyTaco works!
Fun team rituals FAQ
What are team rituals?
Team rituals are customs and habits that a group of people carries out together. Standups, celebrations, chants, and lunches are a few common team ritual examples we see at work.
How to make a workplace enjoyable?
Fun team rituals are admittedly a small feature of an enjoyable workplace. A robust recognition program featuring various methods of authentic appreciation boosts workplace happiness more than anything.
Investing in employees’ professional growth and paying attention to perks like job flexibility and work-life balance are also beloved by workers.
What is the #1 best workplace?
Great Place to Work placed Hilton at #1 on 2025’s Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For. Employees laud its diverse, inclusive culture rich in shared laughter and learning.
How do you have fun at work?
Team celebrations are the best fun-making ritual at work. Silliness and social connection while celebrating professional wins enhance the culture and foster team bonding. Ritualizing this with virtual hangouts and meetings makes it simpler and more sustainable than random, more expensive structured parties.
