Did you know that happy employees are up to 13% more productive?
Having fun and being in a positive state of mind can reduce anxiety, improve the creative process of the mind, increase problem-solving skills and productivity at work. It is therefore important for business Organizations to bring a breath of lightness to their environment, which, in addition to contributing to the increase of motivation, cooperation, creativity and good business climate (elements that every company that wants to be successful must consider), facilitates the commitment of workers in carrying out their tasks, making sure that they dedicate themselves to their tasks with more precision and effectiveness.
All to the benefit of the company, but also of the well-being of the workers themselves.
Playing is a serious matter: it is no coincidence that giant companies such as Microsoft, Google, Virgin have made available to their employees some spaces reserved for gaming and relaxation in which to meet from time to time, for their benefit and for the benefit of the company itself.
he results that are obtained under pressure can be appreciable in the short term, then the workers find themselves weighed down and no longer so productive, sometimes falling victim to burn-out: in fact, 500 billion dollars are the expenses that American companies spend every year as a result of the lack of motivation of their employees. However, 81% of employees of large companies in America said they work in a “fun” environment: Richard Branson, the founder of the “Virgin” Group, admitted that the success of his company is due to a fun environment, where employees can give their best.
Dedicating time to lightness, thanks to play and therapeutic laughter, can really prove to be a winning move for everyone.
Playing and laughing are two elements that:
- contribute to increasing the production of feel-good hormones;
- help build relationships based on trust and cooperation;
- expand cognitive abilities
- increase self-esteem and assertiveness.
As a result, an employee who does not feel stressed and lives his working day in a serene and cooperative environment, is certainly more motivated to do his job with good will.
A very important concept for the workplace is that of “teamwork”: this allows you to work harmoniously together to achieve a common goal, helping to
create that sense of belonging that can really make a difference. Teaming up also means growing from a professional point of view, as well as from a personal one.
In the 1920s, Dr. Elton Mayo demonstrated how much workers’ productivity improved when they were in an environment that valued them, allowing them to feel comfortable
contributing.
Team Building facilitates:
- communication;
- the corporate climate;
- increased productivity;
- the best performance;
- building trust;
- collaboration;
- Company’s higher revenues.
Particularly, Connected We Laugh offers a set of playful, educational and experiential activities (also involving from an emotional point of view), with the aim of promoting communication and increasing motivation and harmony among the members of the work team. The main effect (and verifiable in a short time) stimulated by the practice is undoubtedly the reduction of physical and mental stress. In my experience, after a session of a couple of hours, you can already appreciate tangible positive changes in the working group. Similar situations also occur once away from work, as returning home with a lower stress load certainly has a useful impact on family and friend relationships. So implementing periodic interventions of play and therapeutic laughter in organizations can help trigger a “domino effect” with surprisingly beneficial consequences!
All emotions can infect those who are in the same environment. The new science of emotions has shown that in our brain there are particular cells called “Mirror Neurons”: these nerve cells imitate the behavior of the people we are observing at that moment or with whom we interact. This is equivalent to saying that we are the product of our environment. So if we find ourselves in a sad environment, we are inevitably led to reproduce that type of emotion, and this is also valid for seriousness. Fortunately, this also applies to positive energy: specifically, play and laughter are intended to raise the vital energy of the work group, as working in a positive environment can only improve the general energy. If most of the members of the working group are in a good mood, this affects the minority and can lift their spirits. Mirror Neurons copy the emotions of the majority and influence it: after a short time from the beginning of the session, the brain begins to release a series of chemicals (feel-good hormones) that are able to lift the general mood. In fact, playing and laughing therapeutically have cathartic effects, because they allow the release of even dormant emotions, relieving emotional, mental and physical stress. Another effect of this type of Team Building is a greater propensity for availability and generosity: in fact, laughing and playing together with others has a beneficial effect on the excess of self-centeredness, which translates into an increase in the propensity to give and cooperate.
Basically, these practices act as a glue in human relationships: I remember when, a couple of years ago, before one of my 4-hour workshops, two participants kept a safe distance, even avoiding looking at each other. Having noticed this type of attitude, I was careful to ensure that, “casually”, some types of exercises were shared between these two people, using a lot of tact and gradualness. To my great pleasure, when at the end of the event we all went to lunch together, the two colleagues sat in front of each other and couldn’t help but keep on talking and sharing. This was surprising and gave me great satisfaction: evidently it confirmed what the theories that I have dedicated myself to studying for so long assert. This episode pushed me to delve even deeper and create more effective combinations of exercises in order to connect people, which is my passion. And the reason why I enjoy doing the work I do.
In addition, the gradual work from session to session allows you to cultivate within yourself, without even realizing it, a progressive positive mindset that helps to improve relationships at work and in private life: having good relationships, according to research by the Grant & Glueck Study, which began almost eighty years ago, confirms that it is the number 1 element for building a happy life. And those who are satisfied with their relationships also pour their attitude at work, maintaining a healthy immune system and being absent less, thus ensuring optimal productivity.
Play and laughter are able to break down barriers that, in a climate of conflict or mistrust, may seem impossible to cross.
