The month of October is upon us. And everyone knows October is the month of Halloween, which means fancy dress outfits, pumpkins and Hocus Pocus on the telly. And if you want to boost employee wellbeing at work, it might be a good idea to bring a little bit of that Halloween fun into the office by introducing a workplace fancy dress day.
Admittedly, not everybody is a fan of fancy dress. And if your employees work in customer-facing roles, you might prefer to keep things professional. But if your team isn’t customer-facing, then you’re free to have some fancy dress fun!
When people think of workplace wellbeing, their minds wander to corporate gym memberships and on-site yoga classes. But a big part of workplace wellbeing is simply showing that you care about the wellbeing of your employees. Introducing fun into the workplace is a great way to demonstrate that you care about the work-life balance of your team. It’s also great for team building and encourages your employees to relieve stress.
Workplace Fancy Dress For Employee Wellbeing
Halloween isn’t the only time to enjoy fancy dress fun in the office. Fancy dress can be enjoyed all year round. Perhaps organised Fun Days, where employees are encouraged to come into work in fancy dress and partake in fun, team building activities. Or have a workplace fancy dress day to mark a special occasion, such as the anniversary of the company.
The beauty of having a workplace fancy dress day is that it provides a break from normal routine. It gives your employees something to look forward to and allows them to have some stress-free fun.
Workplace fancy dress is particularly great for encouraging employees to build on their relationships with each other and for boosting the morale of the team. Better yet, studies show that happier employees are more productive within the workplace.
Fancy Dress And Charity Events
Charity is another great reason to have a workplace fancy dress day. Many charities such as Children In Need or Comic Relief, encourage businesses to get involved and raise money and awareness for a good cause.
As well as giving the team an opportunity to dress up in a fun costume, charity events will also improve employee wellbeing by creating a positive atmosphere and encouraging positive friendships within the workplace.
Benefits Of Workplace Fancy Dress Days
Fun activities such as workplace fancy dress days are more important than you might think, especially when it comes to workplace wellbeing. As well as boosting employee morale and raising money for charity, fancy dress days can also:
Reduce Stress
Stress has a lot to answer for. It can have a detrimental effect on the health and wellbeing of your employees. Allowing your team to let off steam will help them to reduce work-related stress and enable them to see the workplace as a positive community.
Strengthen The Team
If your business has various departments or numerous offices, many of your employees won’t know each other that well. Fancy dress days and team building activities will enable your employees to get to know each other better in a less professional environment.
Increase Company Loyalty
It’s simple, if your employees are happy at work and feel as if you care about their workplace wellbeing, they will be more inclined to stay within your company.
Reduce Staff-Turnover
Having a positive workplace which focuses on employee health and wellbeing will make your business stand out from others. Employees won’t be inclined to leave, and your staff turnover won’t be as high as other companies.
Top Tips For Improving Employee Wellbeing With Fancy Dress
- Set Ground Rules – Always have a chat with your employees about do’s and don’ts of workplace fancy dress. Ask your team to avoid fancy dress outfits that are too revealing, inappropriate for the workplace, offensive or religious-themed.
- Make It Optional – The last thing you want to do is make someone uncomfortable by insisting they take part in fancy dress when they don’t want to. Let your team know that the fancy dress day is completely optional. But keep them involved in the activities to ensure that they aren’t left out.
- Communicate In Advance – Give your employees plenty of time to prepare for the workplace fancy dress day. Dropping it on them a couple of days before is only going to make the experience stressful for them.
- Choose The Right Time – A Friday is usually best! It’s the end of the week and people are getting ready for their weekend ahead. Preferably a Friday when there are no important meetings.
Get In Touch
Now that you understand how fun in the workplace can boost employee wellbeing, it’s time to dig out the costumes… Halloween is only a few weeks away you know!
If you’d like to find out more about improving workplace wellbeing, get in touch with Wellspace. Here at Wellspace, we are experts in workplace wellness. We are aiming to revolutionise workplace wellness with our leading app, online portal and tailored wellbeing training.
