As a trainer with PHONE PRO, I have been to many call center environments. Some of you might already be one of our many clients! If you are, then you have already been reaping the benefits of fun and humor in a training environment. When learning is fun, it is memorable and therefore, easily retained. The end result…..agents that have actually learned something beneficial, remember it and use it in their everyday work.

So, how important is fun, laughter and humor in the workplace? Research has found that fun in the workplace can build teamwork, increase productivity, improve voice tone, enhance training, promote creativity, and fight boredom. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s have some fun!

But now the challenge rears its ugly head….How can we incorporate humor and fun in our everyday life at work? How can we encourage fun and laughter without minimizing the importance and seriousness of what we are trying to accomplish?

Consider these ideas for increasing the fun factor in your department:

• What would your staff do if you walked into a staff meeting in your pj’s?
• What if you wore a funny hat to a coaching session?
• How many laughs would you get with a contest to see who has had the funniest customer call?
• Put up a bulletin board in the break room for the staff to fill with funny call center or work environment cartoons and jokes.
• Have weekly contests that include the funniest caption to a photo taken at the office.

You will find that the members of management who aren’t afraid to have fun, smile, and act silly sometimes, are the managers who get the most from their staff. So, go on, have some fun, and see how a fun work environment can work for you and your staff!!!