"You gotta laugh to keep from crying..." Is a cliché a former boss would use almost every day when speaking with cohorts in the office. In a lot of ways the stress from our everyday environment can build up pressure and a little humor and fun is not always a harmful thing. Some of my employees say things like "it gets me through the day".
Fun in the practice management world is ok. However, "fun" in the work place must be carefully guided by those who initiate these activities or discussions. There are many people who just don't know when to stop and when or where is the right place. There are those who will take the fun you have brought with good will and twist it into something that could be offensive to others in the office. Hence there is a time and place and "type" of fun that is ok in the work place.
Tones are set by the practice manager and other leaders in the office. There are some leaders who prefer a very serious and impersonal environment only because this is their personality. Or perhaps they tried to have fun in the past however it backfired and they got burned and now want to get through each day without incident. At any rate, the business world has changed astronomically in the past 30 years in terms of fun in the office.
Many of my employees from time to time will quote scenes from movies and shows such as "Office Space" or "The Office". Not everyone will understand or appreciate the humor, however to those who want to see a very bizarre or just down right HR nightmare - I would recommend watching these comedies. Listing actual activities would not be much use as the political tone and personality makeup of groups differs dramatically from office to office.
Any fun activities that are clean, non-offensive and are not counter-productive to the tasks assigned to physician's staff are ok in my eyes. They say that laughing makes you live longer, why? Stress relief. It all boils down to breaking the "ice" and working together like a well-greased engine aka "true team". An environment which alleviates stress is most certainly a good staff retention strategy. Think of it this way: we spend more awake time with those in the next cubical than the family, friends or pets we have at home. Now ask yourself who is your true family? Is it totally wrong to enjoy your working relationships with folks around you? Absolutely not. If a little fun in the work place facilitates a better working environment, releases some stress, makes your life better? I wouldn’t have it any other way!
