Benefit from Our Games in Your Workplace

TRENDING NOW: OFFICE RELAXATION ROOMS FEATURING GAMES

More than ever, companies are prioritizing employee morale and searching for ways to attract the most talented incoming millennial and generation Z employees. Many businesses have success achieving both by designating office space for both relaxation and play time. Such successful outcomes have turned office relaxation/game rooms into a growing trend. Throughout the years, employee desires and demands have evolved and the literature available on employment satisfaction has grown exponentially. One of the driving factors behind why offices cater to the comfort of their employees comes from a plethora of data showing that tired, mentally-drained and unhappy staff members do not bring their most creative and productive selves to the table, and in return are more likely to switch jobs or have a negative impact on company culture. Adding spaces to the workplace that feature games like pool, foosball, ping-pong, shuffleboard, and corn-hole shows potential employees that the office culture is collaborative, engaging and focused on employee satisfaction.

Venture X | R & R Outdoors - Outdoor Pool Tables
Outdoor Table | R & R Outdoors - Outdoor Pool Tables
Pool Table | R & R Outdoors - Outdoor Pool Tables

Beyond the aesthetic attraction and energy that play spaces bring to the workplace, they also foster long-term benefits related but not limited to employee productivity and team bonding. The art of play is an essential component of human evolution. Research indicates that individuals deprived of play time as children are more likely to become depressed, dysfunctional and even sociopathic as adults. Although children reap the more long-term/ lasting effects of play-deprivation, studies show that lack of play affects adults as well; especially when work significantly outweighs play. For adults, engaging in play is like taking a break where the focus is positively entertaining, imaginative and stress free. Research on the topic concludes that play enhances a sense of well-being and continues to aid in personal development throughout life. Among others, companies such as Google, LinkedIn and Skype support and design their office space around the idea that all work and no play produces dull, inefficient, and average (at most) employees. Companies who use this information to their benefit and invest in creating a playful working environment witness productivity, employee retention, and overall workplace satisfaction improve dramatically.

WHAT IS THE INVESTMENT WORTH?

As entertainment facilities in the workplace increase in popularity, the ROI (return of investment) is ever apparent. Companies who invest in an element of fun for their employees find themselves amazed at the benefits that follow a balance of work and play. Mary Poppins said it best when she said “ In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and snap! The jobs a game! And every task you undertake becomes a piece of cake.” It seems as though an element of fun in work has always been essential but in recent years studies on employee satisfaction in the modern workplace has only just begun to render enough significant data to turn the combination of work and play into an actual trend. David Brown, a senior lecturer at Northumbria University’s business school believes organizations prosper by investing in play spaces due to what’s called internal marketing. The principle behind internal marketing is that companies benefit from not only external marketing but from internal marketing as well. Internal marketing promotes a positive perspective of the business within its own workforce which keeps staff from becoming unhappy and leaving to work for the competition. In other words, when you market your business internally, the external benefits come naturally and turnover rate decreases. Creating a fun, engaging, and collaborative working environment with amenities like foosball, pool, and ping pong is a marketing tool that inspires employees to work hard because not only do they feel less stressed but they also feel valued in a way that fosters a sense of pride for their company. When employees believe in the values of the company they work for they are more likely to be invested in the work they do for that company.

A 2015 Gallup poll showed that on average only 32% of employees are actively engaged with their work. “Gamification” in the workplace helps companies fix the issue by turning work into a game and offering incentives through game based reward systems. For example, Tait Walker, one of the largest accounting firms in the UK set up their break room with pool tables, flat screen TV’s and a brand new kitchen for their staff. Kirsty Ramsey, Tait Walker’s marketing manager claims that the game room addition promotes healthy competition between employees but admits that it was difficult to get the staff engaged at first because they are used to being glued to their desk. When people get accustomed to spending all day at their desk it becomes a routine comfort zone even though they may be tired of it. To encourage employees to step away for a moment, Tait Walker organized pool competitions during office hours that gave employees an incentive to involve themselves. Once the ice was broken, game time during work time became a regular and beneficial workplace activity.

Taking “micro-breaks” during the day allows staff members to return to work with a fresh perspective, improved mood, and an energized competitive spirit that is more involved with the like-mindedness of co-workers. Taking a step away from a difficult task to distract oneself with something playful can inspire a new perspective that sheds light on a solution to a business problem. Overall, game rooms in the workplace increase: productivity, job satisfaction, innovation, creativity, and morale while decreasing: absenteeism, turnover, stress, and even health care costs because a healthy mind makes for a healthy body ( to learn about how our games can improve your health check out this article we wrote https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/our-games-your-health-roi-high-robbie-selby ).

Pool Table | R & R Outdoors - Outdoor Pool Tables
Pool Table with Custom Bench | R & R Outdoors - Outdoor Pool Tables
Pool Table with Benches | R & R Outdoors - Outdoor Pool Tables

WHICH BUSINESSES HAVE RELAXATION/ GAME ROOMS & WHY?

Numerous well-esteemed businesses have both started and joined in on the office relaxation/ game room trend. Why? Because it works, just ask Google! It’s no surprise that Google largely pioneered the trend. The company’s overarching philosophy is “ to create the happiest, most productive workplace in the world.” When it comes to employee satisfaction and productivity, Google sets the bar. The technologically famous organization became equally famous for its staff perks like game rooms with pool tables and foosball, bowling alleys, free food, gym memberships and more. They even employ a chief happiness officer whose only job is to keep the staff happy while maintaining productivity. Google’s company culture is well worth mimicking. They’re known as one of the coolest companies to work for across the globe. Google’s company culture is all about promoting a fun and collaborative environment that people want to work in because above all, it comes down to inspiring people to follow the golden rule, where employees treat one another with respect and management does the same.

Another thriving organization that offers their employees fun and engaging break time activities is Airbnb. Airbnb’s break-room culture fully reflects their success. Employees can indulge in games like ping pong, weekly yoga classes, and a kitchen with an in house chef. At Airbnb games like ping pong encourage employees to work together in a relaxing and entertaining way. Similarly, the Penny Hoarder’s office in Florida has numerous employee amenities including games rooms with games like air-hockey and shuffleboard. They were even voted “The Coolest Office Space” by the Tampa Bay Business journal. Employees say the office makes them feel valued, energized, relaxed, focused, and collaborative. Moreover, Commvault, an information management company in New Jersey is all about working hard and having fun. They’ve got game rooms with foosball, ping pong, and pool tables on every floor and a slide that goes from the 4th to the 3rd floor. The fun atmosphere keeps employees engaged and relaxed at the same time. Furthermore, Venture X, a professional work space with private offices defines themselves as “The Future of Workspace.” Venture X is modern looking, innovative work space for entrepreneurs, freelancers, independents and creative professionals in need of office space. At their Naples, Florida location they have one of our outdoor pool tables on their patio that serves as a great relief from work to clear the brain and also inspires networking between professionals who wouldn’t normally connect or collaborate in an individually divided work space.

OUR GAMES + YOUR OFFICE = SUCCESS

What all of these companies have in common is a beneficial investment and consideration for employee satisfaction. Maintaining employee satisfaction requires an element of fun, and our outdoor games like pool, ping pong, foosball and cornhole can add the exact right dose of fun that your office needs. An added benefit to purchasing an R&R Outdoors all weather game table for your company is our ability to customize your game right down to your exact company logo and colors. Our outdoor pool tables and other all weather games allow you to promote your brand and foster team bonding all at once. Plus, imagine how nice a beautifully hand-crafted, quality game that is tailored to your companies style would look in the workplace! The results are stunning, believe us, we know games and we know how to nail your style.

We know what our games bring to the table, and it’s a lot. They are the most refreshing, fun, engaging and stylish way to turn break time into creativity, productivity, and the kind of team building that will strengthen ties between coworkers for years on end because these games are built to last, just like your staff!

Venture X Outdoor Table | R & R Outdoors - Outdoor Pool Tables
Venture X | R & R Outdoors - Outdoor Pool Tables
Cues | R & R Outdoors - Outdoor Pool Tables

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