Fun at work: How hybrid working and burnout have changed the way we spend time together in the office

If you have ever worked in an office, you are probably familiar with a tried and tested, biannual ritual: the office meeting.

Before the pandemic, it was sharing pizza in the cafeteria, a Secret Santa of gifts for $20 or less at the holiday party, or maybe even an HR-approved scavenger hunt through the city followed by drinks. During the pandemic, the fun has changed; maybe it was a Zoom magic show to stay connected with coworkers during difficult times, or an online bread-making class. Regardless of the specifics, the parameters were clear—the goal was to build a bond, and that's how it should be. Fun.

Now that workplaces are gradually returning to the workplace and employees are rethinking their relationship with their jobs, the way companies work to nurture corporate culture and community has changed.

For one, “we've moved away from the idea that the Christmas or year-end holiday party is synonymous with culture,” says Shawn Hewat, CEO and co-founder of Wavy, a company that helps companies host team-building events. For Ms. Hewat, whose company specializes in events for distributed teams, that means a move away from larger, more general gatherings or activities toward more specific and unique ones.

That may look different from team to team. You might focus on mental health because it's an important part of your culture, Ms. Hewat says. Or it might mean foregoing in-person, social group events because leadership recognizes the team would rather participate in some kind of learning program throughout the year.”[That] could be more valuable [to a team] than a weekly happy hour – and more cost-effective.”

Fun versus burnout

While this shift in perspective on corporate events being fun was inevitable, it was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, says Ms Hewat. “We've had to rethink what work-life balance looks like, why we're doing it in the first place, and what value it has for us and for each other.”

This value increasingly prioritizes rest and a life outside of 9 to 5 hours. A recent report from staffing firm Hays found that 53 percent of workers in Canada have negative feelings about work, with nearly 30 percent of those workers feeling tired and overworked. A July 2023 report from Telus Health found that 21 percent of Canadians are considering leaving their current job due to their mental health. We've seen it in action, with mass burnouts, particularly among millennial women, leading to the rise of “quiet quitting” and large-scale resignation.

“[These terms] came for a reason, because people realize that the fight [is] so real,” says Natasha Singh, co-founder of Re-Work, an organization focused on helping individuals and teams redefine their relationship with work. The struggle of work-life balance is something Ms. Singh knows well. Having worked in technology and fashion over her 20-year career, she experienced burnout firsthand and witnessed her friends and colleagues go through the same.

Ms Singh and her co-founder Chantaie Allick started Re-Work with the goal of making work sustainable for everyone. She says part of that process is understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to what constitutes fun – the activities that people find restful and authentically affirming.

“There is no formula for [play],” says Ms Singh. “Doing yoga at work is not necessarily beneficial for everyone.”

Options for different work styles

Since launching in 2020, Ms. Hewat and her team at Wavy have helped companies run several “choose your own adventure” style programs for organizations, such as a wellness week for Canadian company 7Shifts, where employees could choose from a selection of online and in-person options. They organized an updated holiday party format for another company, where employees could choose between in-person activities, remote cooking and gaming options, and activities entirely on their own time.

”[The company] “We had the option of having the ingredients for gingerbread houses delivered and there was no live event to attend,” says Ms. Hewat, allowing participants to fit the activity into their lifestyles and schedules while still creating a connection between coworkers during work conversations.

“It's small but very powerful,” says Ms Hewat. “It's a really interesting way of building connections or community when people are in different time zones or different places. [and] they don’t necessarily collide in the hallway.”

Invest authentically in employees

“It is [about] “We want to continue to create that sense of belonging, recognition and appreciation in the workplace, while recognizing the whole person who comes to work every day,” says Renita Manj, Vancouver-based senior manager of employee experience and events at Arc'teryx.

For Ms. Manj and her team, this meant placing a greater emphasis on inclusivity, wellbeing and flexibility, with virtual learning and wellness programs and opportunities for employee professional development, while also hosting some of the larger, in-person events you'd expect from a major company. In 2022, the brand launched its Arc'Adventure program, a rewards program that sends nominated employees on an all-expenses-paid vacation to a location that fits the brand's principles of “climbing, hiking and snow.”

So far, the program has taken its employees to Colorado, Utah, the Canadian Rockies and Italy. There are plans to expand it to other regions.

“Seeing the impact we have had on people with this program, by giving them these opportunities, has been incredibly fulfilling,” says Ms. Manj. “The stories that come out of it, people stepping out of their comfort zone, bringing together a group of 10 people from across the company who have never met before. [and create] this sense of community is something very special.”

An authentic investment in employees is worthwhile for everyone, she adds.

“When employees feel valued and connected to the company, you notice it,” says Ms. Manj. “When they feel valued and have a sense of belonging, you see the results in productivity and job retention.”

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