Attitudes toward workplace fun: a three sector comparison

Authors

Joy V. Peluchette, University of WollongongFollow
Lynn Harland
Leda Hall-Indiana
Katherine Karl

RIS ID

36854

Publication Details

Karl, K., Peluchette, J., Hall, L. & Harland, L. (2005). Attitudes toward workplace fun: a three sector comparison. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 12 (2), 1-17.

Abstract

This study examined the issue of "fun at work" across three sectors: public, nonprofit, and private. Specifically, we examined employees' attitudes toward fun, their perceptions of what is (and is not) fun, and the role of trust in the supervisor and coworkers. While there were no significant differences across the three sectors in their attitudes toward fun, there were significant differences across sectors in their ratings of the company-wide outings category and ten (of forty) individual fun activities. Public sector employees tended to rate the activities as less fun than at least one of the other two groups. Employees in all three sectors agreed that food-related activities were fun. In addition, attitudes toward fun were found to be positively related to trust in one's supervisor and trust in one's coworkers. The implications of these results and directions for future research are discussed.