Playful work

This entry reflects on the meaning and significance of playful work in contemporary organizations. In recent years, playful work has become a prominent managerial technique to combat employee disengagement and low morale in organizations. This trend has its roots in positive psychology, especially Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of flow and Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory. Developments such as serious play and gamification promise to make work more fun and engaging. However, critics point out that forcing employees to play might lead to unintended negative consequences, such as resentment and cynicism. What’s more, using play to serve corporate objectives might contradict the concept of play itself, understood as a phenomenon that is meant to serve no other purpose apart from its own ends.