All work and no play makes Stephen a dull boy.
That’s why here at the GovLoop office I try to work hard, while still enjoying a game or two of ping pong a day with a co-worker (all with the blessing of my boss Mr. GovLoop).
I actually feel like the 15 minutes I spend completely dominating the office in ping pong, makes me more productive and happier at work. So count me in as one of those people who thinks the office should be a fun place.
But where do we draw the line?
Well the answer is… probably somewhere before something like this: Secret Man Caves Found In Government Warehouse – basic gist is government contractors were caught spending all their time hanging out in an office space that might remind you of something Tim Allen would have built on Tool Time back in the 90s.
What bothers me most about the fact that these man caves were found by the EPA inspector general is that they were obviously hidden. Having fun at work and unwinding a little is one thing but wasting time and trying to hide it and pass it off as work is another (much more egregious) thing.
Trust is the most important thing in the workplace and these contractors violated it. Not only that a story like this gives a larger group of fun loving, hard working civil servants a bad rap. Maybe most importantly government needs more of a “google culture” and crap like this completely ruins it and makes it impossible to implement.
What are your thoughts on the office man cave debacle and fun in the workplace in general? Where does the line gets drawn and how do we make sure no one crosses it?