Read the following article and answer the questions below:
Fun at work: Lessons from the fish market
1. What does it mean at Pike Place Fish to be world famous? Why does it take some new employees months to understand this concept?
2. What role does organizational culture play in Pike Place Fish's quest to be world famous? Why are other firms adopting the "fish" philosophy?
3. How does Pike Place Fish create the context for workers to reach their maximum potential? What roles do socialization and mentoring play in creating and nurturing this atmosphere?
Fun at work: Lessons from the fish market
Should work be fun? Many business leaders today think so. According to a growing number of business writers and consultants, fun on the job is a trend again. These experts argue work just goes smoother when there's an element of fun involved.
This doesn't mean work is silly or should be all play. And it's definitely not just a game. But it can be fun. And when that happens, things seem to go a lot better for employers, employees, customers and the bottom line.
We've all known a CEO, supervisor or manager who retired early simply because "it's not fun anymore." Likewise, it's common for teachers to say kids do better when "learning is fun." There seems to be something about having fun that makes work more than just a job.
Fun is an energizer and a motivator. When people like their job and have fun doing it every day, they produce more, work longer and harder, are more creative, get along together better and are more loyal to the organization.
Best of all, fun is contagious. It even rubs off on customers. When workers are having fun doing their job, it shows. Patrons like to do business where they observe a sense of joy in the workplace. A case in point is the highly publicized practice of putting fun to work on the job in Seattle's fishing industry.