Having fun at work matters because it strengthens the relationships that keep people in their jobs. A 2014 study of 296 restaurant servers published in Human Relations found that coworker socializing and manager support for fun were significantly related to lower turnover. With Gallup reporting global employee engagement at just 20% in 2025, fun that builds real connection is a low-cost retention tool.
Key Takeaways
- Workplace fun is linked to retention mainly through relationships: in Tews, Michel and Allen (2014), coworker socializing and manager support for fun were significantly related to turnover.
- Not all fun is equal. The same researchers concluded that fun works largely by helping people build high-quality work relationships.
- Engagement is low: Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2026 report puts global employee engagement at 20% in 2025, the lowest level since 2020.
- Turnover is expensive: Gallup estimates replacing an employee costs one-half to two times that person’s annual salary.
- The best fun is voluntary, inclusive and supported by managers, not forced.
For a business to work well and be successful, it helps a great deal when the employees who work there are motivated and productive. For many business owners and managers, ensuring that their employees are not only satisfied at work but actually enjoy coming into work every day is absolutely vital for them to encourage the highest levels of productivity possible.
Having Fun Is Important At Work
Having fun might not be something that most of us associate with the workplace, however, fun can definitely make work much more enjoyable and it’s easier than you think to incorporate it into the working day.
Encourage Teamwork
Fun in the workplace can be an excellent method of improving teamwork and encouraging good relationships between colleagues.
Holding games where you divide workers into teams or regularly having competitions between departments can not only make the working day a little more exciting and enjoyable, it can also encourage your employees to work together as a team and get to know who works well together.
Team based games and competitions where your employees are randomly put into teams of other colleagues who they don’t usually work alongside can be a great way of encouraging them to improvise and improve their individual teamwork and communication skills.
Employee Satisfaction
Employees who genuinely enjoy going into work and look forward to the working day tend to be more motivated and productive in their work tasks.
This is exactly what businesses need, as satisfied employees can not only help to improve the company’s results overall, they can also help to keep costs down as they’ll be much more likely to be loyal, reducing employee turnover and helping to save money when it comes to recruitment and training.
There are plenty of easy ways to make work more fun for employees, such as holding office bingo games played for fun or small non-cash prizes rather than money. Check out this Sun Bingo YouTube video for an idea.
Better Atmosphere
If there is a bad atmosphere within the workplace, everybody will be affected by it, and it won’t be long before it starts to show when it comes to productivity and performance, too.
Encouraging employees to have fun at work can help to seriously improve the overall atmosphere, as employees will be happier, more satisfied, and more engaged. This will not only help with the departments that aren’t getting along well, but it can also improve the whole working experience for others, such as supervisors and managers.
Better Results
If employees can come into work and have fun and enjoy themselves, they will be much more motivated to work hard and be more productive. Employees who love where they work are far more invested in their employers than those who do not, and they’ll be more likely to strive and do whatever they can in order to not only progress themselves, but to contribute towards the success and development of the company overall.
Simply put, satisfied employees who are having fun at work are much more likely to go the extra mile.
Fun and games can be a crucial part of a successful business! 🙂
What Does the Research Say About Fun at Work?
The best-known research on workplace fun comes from hospitality management. In a study published in the journal Human Relations (volume 67, issue 8, 2014), Michael J. Tews, John W. Michel and David G. Allen examined 296 servers from 20 units of a national US restaurant chain.
The researchers measured three forms of workplace fun: fun activities (organized events and games), coworker socializing, and manager support for fun. Coworker socializing and manager support for fun were significantly related to turnover. The study also found that attachment to coworkers and managers (“constituent attachment”) explained the link between each form of fun and turnover.
The authors’ conclusion is the practical lesson for employers: not all types of fun are equal, and one of the key ways fun improves retention is by helping people develop high-quality work relationships. Their paper is titled “Fun and friends: The impact of workplace fun and constituent attachment on turnover in a hospitality context.”
Why Does Fun at Work Matter Now?
Workplace fun matters because engagement and retention are both under pressure. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2026 report, global employee engagement fell to 20% in 2025, its lowest level since 2020. Gallup estimates that low engagement costs the world economy about $10 trillion in lost productivity, or 9% of global GDP.
Managers are struggling too. The same Gallup report says manager engagement declined to 22% in 2025, down from 31% in 2022. That matters because manager support for fun was one of the two forms of fun linked to lower turnover in the Tews, Michel and Allen study.
Friendship at work is also rare. Gallup reports that in the US, just two in 10 employees say they have a best friend at work, and it lists having fun at work among the outcomes associated with having one.
How Much Does Employee Turnover Cost?
Replacing an employee is costly. In a March 2019 analysis, Gallup estimated that the cost of replacing an individual employee ranges from one-half to two times that employee’s annual salary, and put the cost of turnover to US businesses at about $1 trillion a year.
Gallup also found that 52% of voluntarily exiting employees said their manager or organization could have done something to prevent them from leaving. Everyday culture, including whether people enjoy their colleagues, is one of the things an employer can influence.
Which Types of Workplace Fun Work Best?
The table below summarizes the three forms of workplace fun measured by Tews, Michel and Allen (2014), with practical examples.
| Form of fun | What it means | Examples | Research finding (2014 study) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fun activities | Organized events, games and celebrations | Team quizzes, office bingo, milestone celebrations, friendly contests | Linked to turnover through attachment to colleagues |
| Coworker socializing | Informal time spent with colleagues | Shared lunches, coffee breaks, team outings | Significantly related to turnover |
| Manager support for fun | Managers who allow and encourage fun | Leaders joining in, making time for social events, tolerating light humor | Significantly related to turnover |
How Can Managers Make Work More Fun?
- Protect time for socializing. Build short, regular social moments into the week, such as a shared lunch or coffee break, because coworker socializing is one of the forms of fun linked to retention.
- Show visible support. Managers who join in and make room for fun send a clear signal; manager support for fun was the other form significantly related to turnover.
- Mix people up. Put colleagues from different teams together for games or projects so new working relationships form.
- Keep it voluntary. Make participation optional and schedule events during working hours where possible, so people with caring duties are not excluded.
- Recognize good work. Pair fun with genuine recognition; see our guide on why and how to reward your employees.
- Ask for feedback. Ask employees what they enjoy and drop activities that do not land.
For more ideas, read our tips on bringing your team together and on how to plan an office happy hour.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forced fun: mandatory events can feel like extra work; the research points to relationships, not attendance, as what matters.
- Fun instead of fixes: games will not offset unfair pay, poor management or excessive workload. Our article on stress and burnout covers the warning signs.
- Excluding people: after-hours drinks or physical challenges can leave out colleagues with caring duties, health conditions or different preferences.
- Gambling-style games: keep office bingo and sweepstakes to non-cash prizes so they stay social rather than financial.
- No follow-through: a single annual party does little; the forms of fun tied to retention are everyday socializing and ongoing manager support.
Fun works best as part of a wider plan; see how to build an employee engagement strategy that fits your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is having fun at work important?
Having fun at work is important because it helps employees build relationships that keep them in their jobs. A 2014 study of 296 US restaurant servers found that coworker socializing and manager support for fun were significantly related to turnover.
Does fun at work reduce employee turnover?
Research suggests it can. Tews, Michel and Allen (2014) found that coworker socializing and manager support for fun were significantly related to turnover, largely because fun strengthens attachment to colleagues and managers.
What are the three types of workplace fun?
Researchers Tews, Michel and Allen measured three types: fun activities (organized events and games), coworker socializing, and manager support for fun.
How much does it cost to replace an employee?
Gallup estimated in 2019 that replacing an individual employee costs one-half to two times that employee’s annual salary.
What percentage of employees are engaged at work?
According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2026 report, 20% of employees worldwide were engaged in 2025, the lowest level since 2020.
Should workplace fun be mandatory?
Workplace fun works best when it is voluntary and inclusive. The research links retention to relationships and manager support, not to compulsory attendance at events.
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