Having some fun with it: A theoretical review and typology of activity‐based play‐at‐work

Abstract

Summary In recent decades, practitioner interest in the notion of “play” at work has generated a surge of research on the topic of play‐at‐work activities. Findings suggest that activity‐based play‐at‐work can produce an array of positive outcomes for individuals and the organization. However, there remains uncertainty about which forms of play are effective for meeting which particular objectives as past reviews have either focused on a narrow activity or treated all activities as uniform. In this paper, we draw on knowledge from the play and management literatures to review 122 studies of activity‐based play‐at‐work and its outcomes. By identifying several activity‐based play‐at‐work concepts from the literature, we apply both theoretical and data‐driven approaches to generate a two‐dimensional typology comprising four categories. These categories are manager‐initiated work‐embedded play (e.g., serious play), self‐/peer‐initiated work‐embedded play (e.g., experiencing one's work as a “game,” “puzzle,” or “sport”), manager‐initiated diversionary play (e.g., celebrations), and self‐/peer‐initiated diversionary play (e.g., joking practices). In our discussion, we unify play‐at‐work activities under an energy‐management framework and consider implications for understanding each of the four categories in our typology using both theories applied in past research and energy‐related theories from neighboring literatures.

Supporting innovation processes using material artefacts: Comparing the use of LEGO bricks and moderation cards as boundary objects

“…Similar to Roos et al (2004), our findings support that the medium has an effect on the mode, that is, the use of the socio‐material workshop elements significantly influences the human experience in the workshop. This playful experience can support an open atmosphere in which to collaboratively imagine new scenarios, create innovative solutions, and develop and adapt strategies (Celestine & Yeo, 2021; Roos & Victor, 1999).…”

How workplace fun promotes informal learning among team members: a cross-level study of the relationship between workplace fun, team climate, workplace friendship, and informal learning

“…Manager support for fun is crucial to increasing the commitment while also decreasing the resistance of employees engaging in workplace fun. As with coworker socializing, manager support for workplace fun is less formal (Celestine and Yeo, 2021;Michel et al, 2019), providing team members with a greater degree of freedom and autonomy to have fun at work, and making it easier to build high-quality interpersonal relationships. Overall, as argued by Tews et al (2014), workplace fun can contribute to friendship by facilitating the development of highquality work relationships.…”

“…Furthermore, coworker socializing can create a relaxing environment for team members to interact with one another despite not being engaged in work tasks. Socializing with peers establishes cognitive, emotional, and physical engagement (Tews and Noe, 2017), which produces hedonic benefits such as increased intensity of attention, concentration, and focus (cognitive engagement), a lift in mood or energy within the team (emotional engagement), and active participation in activities like informal learning behaviors among team members (physical engagement) (Celestine and Yeo, 2021). Manager support for fun refers to the degree to which employees are encouraged by their direct supervisors to experience fun at work and is likely to promote informal learning behaviors by providing a safe and comfortable atmosphere within teams (Tews et al.…”

Effect of Activity-Based Teaching on Student Achievement at Elementary Level

“…Traditionally, lecturing was used at all levels of education, with teachers as information providers and students as passive recipients. The main teaching aids were textbooks created for specific age groups and subjects (Celestine, 2021). Reading and writing from the textbook or blackboard were significant learning activities.…”