Episode 41

How to put the fun back into work

We speak to Emmy O’Shaugnessy, Director of Innovation and Growth at Oxfordshire Youth and Michael Rucker, organisational psychologist and author of The Fun Habit

The last 3 years have been tough and 2023 will be challenging. Engaging our teams is more important than ever so how can we bring fun and joy back into the workplace? Is it even possible right now?

Joining us this week are two leaders who think it’s not only achievable, but necessary to experience pleasure and enjoyment at work. Emmy O’Shaugnessy, Director of Innovation and Growth at Oxfordshire Youth, is doing fascinating work with her organisation about this. Michael Rucker, an organisational psychologist based in Silicon Valley, is the author of The Fun Habit, a new book about the pursuit of joy and wonder and how it can change your life.

Emmy and Michael take us through how leaders can create more opportunities for fun at work, how to make it inclusive and where enjoyment can create additional benefits, such as developing psychological safety and changing your culture. Ultimately it’s about us all being free to be who we are at work, and who doesn’t want that?

Notes:

Oxfordshire Youth
Follow Emmy on Twitter

The Fun Habit book (published by Pan Macmillan)

Connect with Mike via his website and Twitter

We also discussed this legal case about how a French employee won the right not to be fun at work(Business Insider).

Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com

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Editing and production from Syren Studios and Paul Thomas

Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music

Full transcript of this episode (srt file)

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