Make work fun again. What if this is the leadership move we need right now?
- Christina - Spark Back Coaching
- Jan 7
- 2 min read
January did not arrive gently! The world is loud, heavy, and relentless, and most teams are walking into 2026 with a low-grade sense of doom.
So here is a slightly rebellious leadership idea: why not try to make work more fun? Not childish and definitely not forced. Not "everyone smile, we have pizza." Fun as a deliberate design choice that makes #work lighter, clearer, and more enjoyable.
When Was the Last Time You Had Fun at Work?
I'm not talking about the occasional team outing or the office party. I mean having fun WHILE doing work. That feeling when your neurons are all fired up, you're in the flow, you're collaborating and coming up with great ideas as a team.
Why Fun Is So Important
Research from Harvard Business Review, Gallup, and organizational psychology consistently points to the same conclusion: when people experience enjoyment, autonomy, progress, and recognition at work, #engagement and #productivity rise.
Gamification studies show that introducing game elements into everyday tasks can increase motivation, focus, and #job satisfaction, when done well.
Fun is not about adding games to bad work. It's about making good work feel lighter.
The Framework Behind Effective Gamification
One of the most useful lenses here is Yu-kai Chou's Octalysis Framework, which explains why games motivate people. It highlights drivers such as meaning, accomplishment, ownership, progress, creativity, and social connection.
Translated into leadership language, gamification works when it:
Gives people a sense of progress
Makes contribution visible
Creates safe competition or collaboration
Offers #feedback quickly
Feels voluntary, not performative
What This Looks Like in Practice
Two examples from my personal experience:
This is where tools like #LEGO Serious Play shine. In my training and facilitation work, I've seen how building models helps teams unlock thinking that stays hidden in slide decks. People externalize ideas, explore complexity, and create shared understanding through play.
When I was heading the People #team at GoSpooky, we experimented with a virtual coin system for peer-to-peer recognition. Team members could give each other coins tied to specific values or behaviors, visible across the organization. Recognition became frequent and appreciation stopped flowing only top-down and became more transparent and democratic.
Fun Is Your Next Leadership Priority
We cannot control global events, but we can control how work feels inside our teams. When done thoughtfully, fun becomes a form of resilience and a way to help people focus, connect, and find meaning in the middle of complexity.
Sparking Leadership # 33: a weekly series on human-centered, sustainable #leadership. Hit the like button to share the love. Follow for real talk and practical tools. In the meantime, lead with spark!
