In the face of declining employee engagement levels across the United States, organisations are seeking innovative strategies to re-energise their workforce. The recently published research on playful work design offers a glimmer of hope in this challenging landscape.
The study, conducted by Yuri S. Scharp, Arnold B. Bakker, and Kimberley Breevaart, delves into the concept of playful work design and its potential to enhance employee engagement. Playful work design involves employees proactively redesigning their work activities to incorporate elements of fun and competition. By approaching tasks with a playful mindset, employees can transform the experiential qualities of their work.
The researchers found that on days when employees engaged in playful work design, they reported higher levels of work engagement – characterised by vigor, dedication, and absorption. This finding is particularly significant in light of the recent Gallup report, which revealed that employee engagement in the U.S. has dropped to its lowest level in more than a decade, with only 30% of employees being highly engaged in the first quarter of 2024.
The study proposes that playful work design fosters engagement by satisfying employees’ basic psychological needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence. When employees integrate humour, fantasy, goals, and rules into their work activities, they experience a greater sense of volition, connectedness, and mastery. These positive experiences, in turn, fuel their motivation and engagement.
Notably, the research highlights that the two dimensions of playful work design – designing fun and designing competition – differ in how they relate to work engagement. Designing fun, which involves lighthearted interactions and making activities enjoyable for all involved, was found to promote engagement primarily by fostering relatedness. On the other hand, designing competition, which involves setting personal challenges and striving to outperform oneself, enhanced engagement mainly by satisfying the need for competence.
As organisations grapple with the consequences of disengaged employees, such as lower productivity, higher turnover, and poorer customer service, the findings of this study offer a compelling case for incorporating playful work design into talent management strategies. By equipping employees with the skills and encouragement to playfully redesign their work, organisations can tap into a powerful source of intrinsic motivation.
However, it is crucial to note that playful work design should be implemented as a complementary approach alongside traditional top-down initiatives to optimise job conditions. The researchers emphasise that participation in playful work design training or workshops should be voluntary to preserve the intrinsic motivation that lies at the heart of play.
As we navigate the challenges of the post-pandemic workplace, playful work design emerges as a promising tool to re-engage employees and breathe new life into our organisations. By fostering a culture that values play, we can unlock the potential of our workforce and build more resilient, adaptable, and thriving workplaces.
