Does this scenario sound familiar? The holidays are over, the company has all gone home, and the festive decorations are packed away in the attic. It seems the only thing you can see looming ahead are short, cold days of trudging through the work routine, but what you’d really prefer is bundling up, cozy and comfy, in front of the fireplace, just waiting for the spring thaw.

January gets a raw deal. What month could possibly follow the glitter, sparkle, and celebratory excitement of December? Perhaps this is why National Have Fun at Work Day was created… to give us something by which to fight off the winter doldrums while breathing some energy and motivation into January. If you and your fellow nursing unit could use a little fun at work, join Trek Healthcare Staffing in celebrating this spirited reminder that while we work hard at our jobs, sometimes we need to play hard too! 

Ideas for Celebrating National Have Fun at Work Day

The means by which you can bring fun to your department or clinic are limited only by your imagination. We’ve put together a few ideas to help inspire your creativity.

Upgrade Your Office Space

The hub of activity in hospitals and clinics has always been the nurses’ station. If this is where you and your coworkers find yourself frequently, why not give this central workspace an upgrade that benefits everyone? Stock up on the basic supplies you use most often, but add a few fun extras…high quality pens, notepads, coffee mugs, water bottles, or other swag that the nurses will use daily. 

Do a thorough clean up and say goodbye to accumulated clutter that’s been lingering long past its time. Replace worn out decor with cheerful and inspiring artwork or low-maintenance succulent plants. Got a defunct printer or wonky chair everyone knows not to sit in? Replace them!  

Evaluate the layout of your workstation to make it more functional. The modern office space incorporates three distinct areas: solitary work stations, collaborative work tables, and social areas.  Don’t neglect the break room. It’s often the last place to get an upgrade, but it’s the only space typically devoted to the nurses as people who need a moment to rest, refuel, and recharge. How could this space better serve its purpose? What could make it a more convenient and hospitable place? Make those changes, and your team will thank you!  

Bring the Staff Together

The old adage “Laughter is the best medicine,” is grounded in truth. We all are healthier and happier when we can release stress and tension through laughter. Help fill this prescription by sharing jokes, memes, and humorous anecdotes of life as a nurse. Make it personal and relational by telling some of your own experiences in the field. Step up the laughter to the next level by having a competition between co-workers, whether you stage a try-not-to-laugh “dad joke” challenge or take a comedian’s open-mic approach at a social gathering after work.

Laughter isn’t the only way to build camaraderie among co-workers. Try any combination of these ideas for a memorable Have Fun at Work Day.

• Share a meal– Make it a potluck so everyone can contribute and ask each participant to share their recipes. If the resources are available, order in food from a popular nearby restaurant, providing the double treat of not only enjoying a meal with co-workers, but the extra time given and convenience of not having to cook. 
• Bring a treat– Who doesn’t love a tasty dessert or a hot cocoa bar on cold winter days? Take a break together in groups so the opportunity to socialize isn’t missed. 
• Get to know your team– Create and distribute a questionnaire to learn about your interests, hobbies, and identities outside of work. Post answers anonymously and let the staff guess who the facts describe.
• Dress up- If the goal is to have fun, why not encourage your team to wear their brightest, most eye-popping colors, a crazy hat, or some other theme? 
• Build the team– Plan activities specifically designed to help strengthen the cohesiveness of the unit. 
• Distribute awards– This is the perfect day for some light-hearted, but positive recognition for your co-workers. Where can you call out the good you see in your team? Public acknowledgement of others’ hard work is great for building morale. 
• Secret pals- Pairing up individuals who might not otherwise have much opportunity to interact will cause them to pay attention and get to know one person as they look for stealthy ways to leave little gifts and encouragement without being caught. Use National Have Fun at Work Day as the big reveal of who the secret pal was. 

The Best Units Are the Happiest Ones

Have you experienced the atmospheric shift that takes place when employees have fun at work? Relationships grow, productivity increases, and complaining decreases. Stresses are reduced and workers get inspired. Employees are more loyal to the company, and workers devote their careers to places where meaningful work meets great quality of life.

Take advantage of this light-hearted January celebration to start thinking about how you can make your workplace the kind of atmosphere nurses want to build their careers, and watch your unit begin to transform. This year’s event falls on Friday, January 26, so it’s time to get planning now!

If you are a nurse looking to work in a place with a work hard/ play hard mentality, get in touch with Trek Healthcare Staffing. We would love to help you find the perfect fit for growing your career. Give us a call today!