Scott Schieman is Canada Research Chair and professor of sociology at the University of Toronto. Daniel Hill is a graduate student in sociology at the University of Toronto.
How often would you say your job is fun? Would you say often, sometimes, rarely or never?
If you said often or sometimes, you’re in the majority.
We posed this question in a national survey of 2,500 American workers in June of 2024, with the help of the research firm YouGov. We found that seven in 10 Americans responded “often” or “sometimes,” while only 8 per cent described their job as “never” fun.
While there were no differences by gender, race, age, education and income, a few occupational differences surfaced. Workers in clerical and low-skilled jobs reported the least fun at work, but a majority of workers in those groups still reported having fun at least some of the time.
Research shows that having fun at work is linked to positive health and work-related outcomes, including trust, commitment and retention.
To paint a descriptive portrait of “fun,” we asked a follow-up question that probed for explanations and examples. One prominent theme stood out: the people.
“Sometimes I get to work on fun projects, but it’s the people I work with who make my job fun,” said a 53-year-old vice-president of business operations.
“The people” included a surprising variety of meanings. “We have a certain lifestyle,” explained a 38-year-old executive chef. “We don’t have ‘employees’, we have ‘families.’ I see these [people] more than I see my kids. I love them all!”
Employees sometimes reciprocate those good vibes. “My bosses are [amazing],” said a 43-year-old bookkeeper. “They’ve created a fun, entertaining and respectful environment to work in.”
Descriptors like “funny” and “sweet” often surround the joy, especially among those in school-based jobs. “A large part of what I do is create a positive atmosphere which is contagious and fun,” said a 57-year-old school secretary. “I spend time with kids who are fun, funny and sweet. Working at a school, we have pajama days, assemblies and do loads of fun things.”
“I work with kids every day — and there are days when they can be a lot — but over all, they’re great,” said a 53-year-old teacher. “Every day brings something new. They’re sweet kids.”
The exchange of fun can be central to the work itself. As a 31-year-old children’s librarian put it: “My job is promoting literacy to children in ways they’ll find fun — and the things that kids find fun are also often fun for me.”
Fun unfolds when social activities transport us to new head spaces. “Sometimes, class discussion goes off onto a tangent and we have fun banter and back-and-forth arguments,” said a 47-year-old ESL teacher. “It’s exciting in those instances.”
“I work with a great team and we have fun brainstorming ideas together,” explained a 23-year-old accountant, who said they also take part in non-work events. “Last week we had a hilarious team-building activity where we did a scavenger hunt around the office.”
Laughter echoes the joy. For many, humour at work is an essential sustenance: “I work with a bunch of good people with a great sense of humour,” said a 55-year-old foreman. A 55-year-old truck parts/customer service worker emphasized that “getting to joke with coworkers at least a few times per week” made his job fun.
“Our employer allows us to make light jokes, have bonding time through games and takes us to lunch once a month,” said a 35-year-old financial technician.
“Laughing with my boss makes things better,” added a 60-year-old mortgage loan processor.
A 58-year-old store clerk elaborated: “I work with residents of a community with a population under 500 people. I know them all pretty well … Most love jokes and interesting conversation, so I keep it interesting in the way I interact with them … People are funny for most part.”
“I care for a disabled adult,” said a 54-year-old in-home care aid. “We play music or games, and we laugh together to keep her depression away.”
Having fun can deter our own blues too. Among the 19 per cent of Americans who often have fun at work…
- 13 per cent feel sad all or most of the time (versus 27 per cent who never have fun);
- 73 per cent enjoy life all or most of the time (versus 33 per cent who never have fun);
- 70 per cent feel happy all or most of the time (versus 28 per cent who never have fun).
To be fair, some respondents said “fun” wasn’t the most apt descriptor. “Fun is probably the wrong word. ‘Fulfilling’ is better. It is not ‘not fun,’” explained a 45-year-old Associate Dean.
Among those three in 10 workers who described their job as “never” or “rarely” fun, the reasons revolved mostly around boredom, stress or the serious nature of the work.
“It’s monotonous, tedious and my colleagues are certifiably stupid,” complained a 28-year-old lab technologist. “The only ‘fun’ part is leaving for the day.”
“It’s a rewarding yet very dark career,” said a 32-year-old registered nurse. “We see a lot of tragedy and sometimes are harmed by our patients and other coworkers/staff.”
While it might not always seem possible, find your own version of “fun.” For many, it’s “the people.” But not always. “There are times when I kind of have fun, but they’re few and far between,” said a 43-year-old pest control technician. “A lot of what I do is repetitive, going from home to home. Sometimes I’ll get a house that is infested, and that makes it fun and interesting.”
“Every time I encounter a new task,” said a 50-year-old IT director, “it’s fun-damental.”
Who doesn’t love a good pun? At the very least, sharing them can make your day a little more enjoyable.
This column is part of Globe Careers’ Leadership Lab series, where executives and experts share their views and advice about the world of work. Find all Leadership Lab stories at tgam.ca/leadershiplab and guidelines for how to contribute to the column here.