Friday, the great harbinger of the weekend, is a day that is loved by most people in the working world.  It’s a great day to introduce a little fun into your workplace as well.  A workplace that encourages fun is not only more pleasant in general but can lead to increased productivity throughout the week.

In the spirit of Friday, here are a few ideas that you can implement in your own office that just might infuse a little entertainment into your workday.

• Watch a TV show: At my last job, my co-worker and I used to use our lunch hour every Friday to watch an episode of Lost while eating lunch.  We looked forward to it all week and it was a great way to build a solid working relationship.
• Share food: If you make dessert and have leftovers, bring them into the office.  You can even organize a dessert potluck wherein the whole office shares desserts.  People like food and this is a great way to get everyone together and in a great mood.
• Give out awards: These can be substantial, such as gift certificates, or symbolic, such as a gold star on a white board.  However you choose to implement awards, they are bound to bring a smile to people’s faces.  Everyone likes a little affirmation and the more of this you can bring into the office, the better.
• Get outside: If you live somewhere with nice weather, get outside.  Take a walk, play Frisbee, or throw a football; just do something outside that will take you and your co-workers away from the office for a while.
• Spend the first five minutes of meetings catching up: Go around the table and have everyone share a little about something.  This will not only help everyone get in the mood to pay attention, it will also foster a feeling of community.
• Play games: Whether it’s hangman, puzzles, riddles, or darts, games are a terrific way to bring fun to work.  While I’m certainly not suggesting that you make games the sole focus of your work, I think there’s no harm in spending a few minutes every now and again playing games with your co-workers.  Playing games and solving problems together will strengthen teams and help co-workers learn to work together better.

How do you feel about bringing fun into the workplace?  Have you tried it before with any success?  What methods do you use for making the workplace enjoyable?