How startups can ‘gamify’ working from home for more productivity

As the coronavirus pandemic continues spreading throughout the world and millions of workers have been relegated to home offices and kitchen tables, removed from their co-workers and the office environment, the need for companies to spice up and enliven the workplace environment has become more important than ever.

Over the past decade many workplaces have started shifting from monotonous, sterile, and “business-like” atmospheres to more personable, colorful, and humorous environments. Research from institutions like MIT, Wharton, and the Bell Leadership Institute have demonstrated that a lighthearted, laughter-rich workplace results in a healthier and more productive workforce. Humor is one of the most effective stress-busters there is, and has been proven to improve workplace communication, enhance teamwork, and enable employees to better overcome challenging situations. And a little humor in the workplace impacts a company’s bottom line as well: the University of Warwick discovered that happy employees are 12% more productive and Robert Half International found that 84% of executives believe workers with a sense of humor perform their jobs better.

“I hear this all the time from companies — when they embraced fun and humor as core values they have lower absenteeism rates, lower employee turnover rates, less health and wellness concerns,” said Michael Kerr, the author of The Humor Advantage and renown motivational speaker. “We know that communication tends to be better when…