Are We Having Fun Yet?

The Many Benefits of Humor in the Workplace

Celebrate Good Times, C’mon!

First Celebration of P & T

Second Crazy Hat Party

Summer Celebration 2005 The Crooked Branch Bunch The Desperado Deans

Turning an Idea into an EVENT Use Themes Get Buy In From Management Brainstorming Happens – Watch Out! Promos and Props Rehearsals

Summer Celebration 2006

What We Learned With the Summer Celebrations Start early (so you’re prepared for surprises) Scheduling Not everyone will participate (That’s OK) No bar is too high when you have:  Management’s trust  Creative & open-minded team  Superb technical/graphics support

What We Learned With the Summer Celebrations Offsite meetings stimulate creativity Poke fun at yourself (Publicly and often) Take risks! Budget The Rumor Mill – Use it to your advantage Rehearsals are a good thing! Good food is critical Have Fun!

How Two Librarians Got Into The Fun Business

Who Else Is Having Fun? Southwest Airlines Pike Place Market Land’s End Blackboard Microsoft Sprint Rogat-Russell Many More!

Managerial Resistance to Fun I don’t have time It costs too much I don’t know how I don’t want to look silly No evidence this will work (YES THERE IS!) Take your work seriously. Take yourself lightly.

Survey Says…..

Advantages of a Fun Workplace Attract and Retain Employees Improve Communication And promotes … Organizational Commitment Customer Satisfaction Lower Absenteeism Productivity

Gen X and Y Want a career that provides Job Security Meaningful Work Personal and Family Time FUN! Matures and Baby Boomers Want to Have Fun, too! Source: Families and Work Institute, “Youth and Employment Study, 2000”

FUN Is Not Another Trendy Fad Like… X MBO X CQI X SPC X QFD X TQM FUN IS A CULTURE!

Work Fun the Top Fun Must be Authentic Management Must Give Permission Employees Drive Fun Rewards Should Be Individualized “A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.” Dwight David Eisenhower

Fun will be allowed on Friday October 20th From AM Participation Mandatory!!!

Library Harvard Business Review July-August 2001 Mission Impossible?

The Importance of Having Fun at Work It makes you SMILE! S timulates Team Spirit M otivates Staff I mproves Productivity L owers Absenteeism E nergizes Meetings

“If I had no sense of humor, I would long ago have committed suicide.” Mahatma Gandhi "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw “You can only be young once. But you can always be immature.” Dave Barry “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” Dr. Seuss

Thank You! Debbie Sharp, M.L.S. Information Literacy William T. Young Library University of Kentucky Lexington, KY x2099 Susan K. Smith, M.L.S. Shaver Engineering Library University of Kentucky Lexington, KY