Humans are social creatures. Our DNA is genetically hardwired to spend time in communities, working with others to solve problems, to be creative and to learn.

It’s what has enabled us to dominate the world as the most successful organism to have ever existed. Our ability to socialise is our superpower.

The working population spends some 70% of their days ‘on the job’, so our working environment and relationships we have there are incredibly important to our wellbeing. Strong social connections in the workplace make people happier and physically healthier, which translates into work performance.  Play is an essential psychological need for us to achieve this.

Play fosters a sense of community and transforms the workplace into a safe space where employees feel included, otherwise known as a prosocial environment. To learn more, I’ve attended several INNOPLAY sessions at The Playful University. Founded by Maarten Koeners, senior lecturer at the University of Exeter’s College of Medicine and Health, and Adam Lusby, its Faculty Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Education. Both Maarten and Adam are big believers that play and the creation of environments that encourage social interactions can positively and palpably change the energy in a room, and I couldn’t agree more. So, how can we do this?  Here are my top six recommendations.

Be prosocial

To learn, human beings need to play. In fact, it isn’t just to learn – we’re so hard wired to play that if we don’t, we can become ill. So fundamental it is to our productivity, our health, and our ability to grow, we must make the environment in which we work prosocial, providing the opportunity to socialise and play with colleagues in a way that supports us and the work that we want to achieve. The acceptance of, and the surrender to, non-social practices can be less obvious than antisocial, and can be a silent killer when it comes to workplace connections, wellbeing, and creativity.

Following a socially limited three years, we’ve developed some very non-social practices that are having serious impacts across society. They’re especially acute at work, where they’re becoming a productivity killer.

If you are in a workplace right now, how social is it?  Are you sat in rows of desks behind screens? Are you in a meeting room or office shut off from colleagues? How much social interaction do you enjoy, or is it discouraged because it takes you away from a task or task that requires your utmost concentration?

If you work in an office, it’s likely that you’re in a very antisocial working environment dominated by online meetings, home working, and management practices that encourage you to be silent and concentrate.  It’s the type of environment that we enter, age four years, when we start school, and it conditions us from then on. You’re told to sit still at rows of desks with little communication, the older you get the less interaction is built in or even encouraged.

Embrace playfulness – even if it feels uncomfortable

Play is recognised as both a fundamental part of the human experience and basic biological need at every stage in life.And whilst play and work may appear contradictory, there are many synergies. Children are encouraged to learn through play – it’s proven to expand physical and mental ability – and business leaders should be placing a similar focus on supporting their employees to discover new ideas and learning experiences, even if it does feel uncomfortable.

We know that humour, playfulness, laughter, and joy are essential to using our brains entirely.  The success of playfulness at work comes down to psychological safety and the shared belief that it’s okay to take interpersonal risks as a group – whether that’s sharing creative ideas or speaking up when there’s an issue.

As with all workplace initiatives, playfulness needs to start at the top with senior buy-in. As a leader you should be leading from the front, even if you feel uncomfortable too. But such discomfort should be embraced. Society is averse to the uncomfortable but creating new – and maintaining existing – connections always requires a certain level of discomfort at some points. By lowering the stakes, play provides an environment where we can practice how we deal with it and a space where it can be shared and celebrated.

According to pioneer play researcher Brian Sutton-Smith, the opposite of play is depression, and it was Dr Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play, whose studies confirmed that depression and anxiety can be caused by ‘play deficit,’ in adults as much as in children. Just as sleep deprivation leads to ill health, so play deficiency can lead to mental illness. Play deficit is a serious problem, so let’s make sure our employees aren’t at risk and provide plenty of opportunity for it.

Don’t force playfulness – but a kind nudge is fine!

Forcing playfulness is a killer. Don’t make it happen, but feel free to give it a kind nudge, if required, as it builds on embracing the uncomfortable – disrupting the status quo or reminding us that we are, in fact, prosocial and playful apes.

A nudge towards playfulness can be making resources available, or through intentional and kind social pressure – a good reason for those who’d prefer to remain mostly remote to re-join their colleagues. The smartest business leaders are those working to identify the types of ‘fun’ their employees enjoy – the things they’ll show up for because they want to, not because their arms are being twisted.

And whilst there are many definitions of play, it should always be activities that are enjoyable, that push boundaries, that are chosen freely and that encourage our imaginations to be drawn upon with social interaction. It can be meetings, parties, activities, and games that rest your focus, make you feel refreshed, at ease and connected. Use music to get in a positive or reinvigorated state, create rituals, and a more comfortable atmosphere; use different type of “prototyping” materials to test ideas.

It can be planned and unplanned, formal, and informal. But crucially, fun cannot be forced. It’s got to be no guilt; no obligation and the option must be given to opt out. It’s this kind of get-together has the most positive impact.

 Make workspaces flexible

Put desks on wheels – in fact, put everything on wheels so it can be moved around to suit our exact changing needs. This allows the office to be created by employees each day – facilitating greater collaboration and an emphasis on teamwork that’s often required to deliver short-term projects in temporary settings.

Using flexible furniture to switch energy, create focus or change communication is just one technique.  Also consider how we can intentionally create spaces and environments that encourage desired and prosocial behaviours of working. Use the floor for embracing informality and creating natural relaxation and go outdoors to energise and create different perspective.

Also consider resources and how new and more effective ways of working can be enjoyed through engaging multi-sensory materials and media, which strengthen connections and belonging.

Get people into the office some of the time

Lots of employees remain reluctant to return to the office and several reports have recently been published, highlighting the damaging consequences of its mandate. So, I believe it’s important that business leaders ask themselves what the office is now for. It remains an important aspect of working life, but today its function is fundamentally different to just a few years ago.

To entice staff back to the office, business leaders need to consider how they can make onsite working better than remote working. It’s difficult to socialise properly online and is much more enjoyable and healthier in person. Everyone needs human connection, so make the office a social and enjoyable place to bring colleagues together.

Build purpose and connections

The most successful workplaces are where colleagues aren’t just co-workers, but rather collaborators, united by a shared vision. It’s these organisations that are more likely to achieve higher levels of employee engagement and satisfaction, leading to increased productivity and creativity. It’s another reason why a company’s culture is so important, and why we should hire with culture fit and add in mind. This means that you not only attract like-minded colleagues to your business – you also retain them by providing a purpose that goes far beyond the pay slip.

By collaborating with those who share your passion and purpose, you’re also able to forge stronger and more genuine bonds that enrich the work experience and open doors to new opportunities. When we work alongside others who share our values and purpose, work becomes more than just a job – it becomes a source of joy and fulfilment. And it’s proven that those employees who feel this sense of purpose are more likely to stay with their company long-term and are more engaged in their roles.

To quote Simon Sinek, the leadership expert and author of multiple best-sellers,” the goal is not to work hard, play hard, but to make work and play indistinguishable.” I think that’s an ambition for us all to aim for.

Tyler Grange employees over 100 people across its seven-strong UK office network. It’s a member of the Better Business Network and supports the Better Business Act – both of which promote a cleaner, greener, fairer future for all.

Read more:
Six ways to make your workplace more fun – and the serious reasons for having a laugh on the job

Getting a business off the ground brings with it many challenges. And, when it then comes to scaling up, leaders will have to contend with a whole other set of matters. But the hard work is worth it and rewards plentiful.

Only 1% of UK’s SMEs are scale-ups, or firms with high-growth potential, and yet they generate nearly £500billion. That equates to a fifth (22%) of all SME turnover, which is a significant number for such a small proportion of the nation’s enterprises.

By definition, scale-ups are SMEs growing at 20% or more, in terms of employees or turnover, over the last three years. There are around 29,000 of them in the UK today, with a further 13,000 scaling pipeline businesses hot on their heels. Each will undoubtedly be at the forefront of opportunity and coming up with some brilliantly innovative ideas and solutions and disrupting the markets in which they operate.

But how do you move from start-up to scale up? Scaling up a business requires different skills sets to those required to get it off the ground. Here are six key considerations for those business leaders who are looking to transition.

What’s the purpose of your business?

It’s important to understand why your business exists. Most people think it’s for money, but that’s rarely the real reason. Whilst having financial security is important, there’s lots of research that shows the limited effect of wealth on happiness.

One recent study carried out at the University of Bath examines the relationship between income and happiness.  It seems that, up to a point and within a specific set of circumstances, money can buy happiness. But beyond that, the relationship between the two becomes much looser and uncertain. There are many more factors to consider.

The one thing that really impacts the happiness, and therefore success of a business, is its purpose. It connects your team, provides structure and gives everyone a common drive towards shared goals.  People that work in a company that has a sense of meaningful purpose are happier and more productive, which gives a business a better chance of success and growth.

A recent study found that happy employees are 12% more productive than unhappy ones. It’s the same when it comes to engagement – with those companies with engaged employees enjoying 21% increased profitability than those who are disengaged.

Are you ready to make systemic change?

Real change required to move a business from start-up to scale-up can be messy, difficult and unpredictable – and business owners and leaders need to be prepared for that.

It takes courage and a certain amount of risk to move to the next level – to be ready to take an honest look at how your business is run, at what’s good and what needs to be better. Why are you working the way you are? Are your processes what they should be? Are you doing things the same way you’ve always done them, or are you imitating others?

One of the most recent and sizable systemic changes to UK businesses is the challenge to working time. Most work Monday to Friday, in a 9am to 5pm cycle. But the growing momentum of the four-day workweek – which was permanently adopted by Tyler Grange following a successful pilot – challenges what’s been the norm for decades. As a result, productivity and employee happiness have significantly increased and tiredness and absenteeism are down. But it doesn’t have to be a four-day week – it could be any work pattern that’s more relevant to how we live our lives today.

So, what are your standard practices and are they in need of a shake up? You really need to think about this one, because changes in the workplace are being made at a dizzying pace. You must adapt or you will cease to be relevant, and you put your business at risk.

Are you committed to ESG and social impact?

ESG is a not only a way for your business to become more efficient, gain entry to new markets and win new customers. It also has a major role in shaping society and how we live. So, it’s the responsibility of business founders and leaders to find ways to do help it to thrive and, by doing so, they’ll go a long way in delivering on their meaningful purpose.

Gone are the days when you could sit on the side-lines and leave Environmental, Social and Governance to politicians. ESG is the new politics of business and employees, clients, suppliers and partners are all demanding that business takes it seriously.

By not having a strategy in place to deal with these questions, then recruitment, sales and purchasing becomes much harder than they need to be. Once developed and shared, a sense of purpose will be created that goes far beyond financial gains – providing businesses with the security and ability to grow, whatever obstacles are thrown their way.

Do you place equal importance on your employees’ physical and mental health?

Those scale-ups that shift their thinking towards how they can help their people thrive will see the biggest impact and return on investment. With mental health becoming the defining issue for HR professionals nationally, addressing it head on is crucial for growth.

Nearly one in five UK adults have had to take time off work in the past year due to stress. A recent study suggests that the UK risks being a ‘burnt out nation’ because of it, and another cites that work-related mental health issues have doubled, and now cost the nation’s businesses £118billion annually.

Radical change is needed to combat this surge and we must put in place more effective measures to safeguard those who are struggling. They should be at the very core of a company’s retention and reward strategy and shouldn’t be undertaken by enthusiastic HR departments with little experience.

I’m sorry, but mental health first aiders and wellness apps just won’t cut it. Instead, employees should be provided with real support and real initiatives that can make a difference to their mental wellbeing, as well as improving their physical health, motivation, morale and productivity.

A growing number of businesses are providing employees with easy access to in-house psychologists and counsellors – an investment that will benefit for years to come. And it’s not just the big firms. We appointed an inhouse psychologist at Tyler Grange and reduced absenteeism by 70%. Let that sink in.

Looking after employees can really drive your growth journey and, by taking the same people with you, you’ll reach your milestones much faster. It also means you’ll be able to move away from the day-to-day and get that strategic thinking time, which is so vital to driving your business forward.

By not doing so, business growth slows down growth and can even fail – with the issues generally starting with the founders.  It’s important to get the right advice from qualified professionals – well-meaning support from amateurs has the potential to do a lot more harm than good.

Is your company culture clearly defined?

It’s incredibly important to nail your culture. It provides our ultimate competitive advantage, and yet it’s so often poorly defined. Far from another corporate buzzword, culture is the embodiment of the attitudes, behaviours and values of everyone who works at a company – laying the strongest foundations for its long-term success.

Ask yourself why you exist as a business, and what do you stand for? If you can’t answer these questions then how will your customers, recruits and suppliers know if you are the right fit for them?

It’s much easier to run a business that has a strong aligned culture and, by nailing it, a business becomes much easier to scale. As the famous management consultant Peter Drucker is often quoted saying. ‘Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast’. I think he’s right.

Does your business plan reflect the world around you?

We live in a dynamic and ever-changing world – one where planning with foresight will get you ahead. However, be careful not to ignore the market around you.

Flexibility really is the key to scale-up success. Thriving businesses tend to start with a great idea but are not afraid to move away from the original plan. To quote another famous strategist, the German field marshal, known as Moltke the Elder, “no plan survives first contact with the enemy”. In world of business, this means that as soon as you write a plan, it’s out of date and needs to be revised.

It’s important to recognise that what you start out doing may not be where the business ends up. So, plan but be prepared to pivot your proposition or product when required. Adapt your plan as you go – a strong direction of travel is far more important than a rigid route.

Tyler Grange employees over 100 people across its seven-strong UK office network. It’s a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on ESG, the Better Business Network and supports the Better Business Act – all of which promote a cleaner, greener, fairer future for all.

Read more:
From start-up to scale-up: Six key questions that growing businesses leaders should consider