Canadian HR Reporter

WE AS KE D, YO U AN SWE R E D. . . "How do you bring play to the workday?" Sharde Long HR Manager, Victoria Women's Transition House Victoria, BC When I worked in recreation, play was an integral piece of our team cohesion and in building our resil- ience as frontline staff. As I've moved into other sectors, I've always taken with me the importance of having fun together through play because of the connections this created and the rela- tionships it built. In my current role, I am lucky to have a passionate and engaged executive team who believes in fostering joy in the workplace. Our executive direc tor is exceptional at this and of ten goes above and beyond by organizing Easter egg hunts, gif t exchanges and costume contests throughout the year. The power of play in the workday often shows up in small ways: it is our personalized offices, our hallway conversations and even the occasional vehicle covered in sticky notes to cele- brate a life milestone. Fun bonds our team and buffers our resilience for the work that we support each other to show up and do. Sofia Ariseh, cphr Principal, Upskill Consulting Vancouver, BC Work hard, but equally as important, play hard! It's time to shift our mindset away from "work is work and play is play." Incorporating play in the workplace allows us to engage, create and innovate. Play at work doesn't have to break the bank. There are simple ways to integrate more fun and play into our workday! Make Meetings Fun: Inject some fun into meetings by encouraging creativity and collaboration through brainstorming, icebreakers and team building activities. Introduce Contests: Nothing lightens the mood more than a little bit of friendly competition. Turning work- place initiatives into competitions increases employee engagement and involvement. Organize Events: Team lunches or events help to build social connectedness and a greater sense ofcommunity. Decorate Work Spaces: Encourage employees to decorate their work- spaces. It is fun, boosts morale and livens up the workplace. Discover the power and value of merging work with play. Cheryl Nakamoto, cphr President/Managing Partner, McNeill Nakamoto Recruitment Group, Vancouver, BC Our slogan — WOW, FUN, PEOPLE — really sums up the 'McNak ' culture. I take great pride in creating an engaging, fun and light work envi- ronment for my team, as we spend so much time at work that making it an easy place to be creates happy, healthy and engaged employees. The recruitment industry is challenging and highly competitive — factors that can create a lot of stress for people. Working with some many different peoples' demands is challenging, so being mindful of 'play' and incorpo- rating healthy outlets for staff is critical to our successful operation. How do we play? Celebrating success, laughing of f hard times, celebrating bir thdays, get ting together outside of work hours for socials, hosting potluck lunches, REALLY celebrating work anniver- saries (Japanese style with lunches and thoughtful gif ts at one, three and five years and thereaf ter), and most impor tantly, having fun and laughing at our own mistakes makes for a light, playful environment where staf f feel safe to express themselves and confi- dent to excel in their work. Eva Eaton, cphr HR/Immigration Consultant, The World is My Oyster Victoria, BC The lines of the 9-5 workday have become increasingly blurred. The benefits of play in the workday include less stress, increased problem solving capacity and team building. Some ways play has been integrated into the work day where I have worked: » How much green can you wear on St. Patrick's Day, with the winner getting some company swag and photo in the weekly newsletter? » How many toys can we donate to the Christmas Toy Mountain charity drive? » Bring some cookies to work that repre- sent your family's country of origin; » Celebrate wins, birthdays and anni- versaries at weekly staff meetings; » Post photo booth photos from the western-themed Christmas party as wanted posters in the non-public areas of the office; » Appoint one person to ask team members to disclose an unusual fact about themselves; and » Make up a puzzle with questions to match to the answers. An old ice breaker but lots of fun. Have fun and enjoy your colleagues too! IT PAYS TO PL AY When we think about how play shows up in our lives, it's everywhere: in games, art, books, sports, media and everyday conversations. It makes sense that the business world and work environment incorporate these aspects to attract and retain employees. Aspiring to create a playful organization is not just a trendy new idea, but an innovative management strategy. Organizational leaders should strive to MICHAE L C . BUSH A Great Place to Work for All: Better for Business, Better for People, Better for the World Entrepreneur, author and creator of 'Best Business' lists across borders, Michael C. Bush has been CEO of Great Place to Work since 2015, guiding the global research and analytics firm in its annual workplace rankings. With over 30 years experience leading and growing organizations, Michael also served on President Obama's White House Business Council. C Y WAKE MAN No Ego: How HR Leaders Can Cut the Cost of Drama, End Entitlement and Drive Big Results As an international speaker, leadership expert and New York Times bestselling author, Cy Wakeman is globally recognized for her reality-based approach to leadership — one distinctly minus the drama. Backed by 20 years of experience, she solidly rejects the 'fad' of engagement and replaces it with a return of leadership to leaders, and productivity to business. DR . ROBE R TA BONDA R Management Lessons from Space As the first Canadian woman in space and one of TIME Magazine's "World's Best Explorers," Dr. Roberta Bondar has taken giant steps in exploring the adaptability of the human brain. A renowned speaker on adaptive thinking, she continues to inspire as a leader and visionary for corporations and organizations navigating uncharted territory across North America. JOHANN HARI Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression and the Unexpected Solutions One of the most-viewed TED Talkers of all-time, award- winning investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author Johann Hari set out to answer the mystery of growing depression and anxiety on a global level. What emerged is a story that has since been translated into 15 languages, made into a non-fiction documentary, and is being adapted for a Hollywood film. KEYNOTE SPEAKERS EARLY BIRD DEADLINE FEBRUARY 14 Attend CPHR BC & Yukon's 58 th Annual HR Conference & Expo, to explore how investing in a well-managed, skilled, and invigorated workforce can provide significant returns. REGIS TER NOW! CPHRBC .C A /CONFERENCE cultivate curious and easy-going employees instead of heads-down laborious grinders in the workplace. As for the bottom line, making fun a fundament of the workplace supports a return on investment. Simply put, it pays to play. Amelia Chan, CPHR, RCIC is founder and principal consultant of Higher Options Consulting Services (HR-options.com), providing a wide range of HR and immigration services for small to mid-sized businesses.

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