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Playful work

Butler, Nick LU and Spoelstra, Sverre LU (2024) p.523-526
Abstract

This entry reflects on the meaning and significance of playful work in contemporary organizations. In recent years, playful work has become a prominent managerial technique to combat employee disengagement and low morale in organizations. This trend has its roots in positive psychology, especially Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of flow and Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory. Developments such as serious play and gamification promise to make work more fun and engaging. However, critics point out that forcing employees to play might lead to unintended negative consequences, such as resentment and cynicism. What’s more, using play to serve corporate objectives might contradict the concept of play itself, understood as a phenomenon that... (More)

This entry reflects on the meaning and significance of playful work in contemporary organizations. In recent years, playful work has become a prominent managerial technique to combat employee disengagement and low morale in organizations. This trend has its roots in positive psychology, especially Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of flow and Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory. Developments such as serious play and gamification promise to make work more fun and engaging. However, critics point out that forcing employees to play might lead to unintended negative consequences, such as resentment and cynicism. What’s more, using play to serve corporate objectives might contradict the concept of play itself, understood as a phenomenon that is meant to serve no other purpose apart from its own ends.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Digitalization, Flow, Gamification, Motivation, Self-determination theory, Serious play
host publication
Elgar Encyclopedia of Organizational Psychology
pages
4 pages
publisher
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85213167437
ISBN
9781803921761
9781803921754
DOI
10.4337/9781803921761.00103
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7692f3fa-c88b-4e4c-a2ae-d211b0e748e4
date added to LUP
2025-01-22 12:30:27
date last changed
2025-07-10 02:11:38
@inbook{7692f3fa-c88b-4e4c-a2ae-d211b0e748e4,
  abstract     = {{<p>This entry reflects on the meaning and significance of playful work in contemporary organizations. In recent years, playful work has become a prominent managerial technique to combat employee disengagement and low morale in organizations. This trend has its roots in positive psychology, especially Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of flow and Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory. Developments such as serious play and gamification promise to make work more fun and engaging. However, critics point out that forcing employees to play might lead to unintended negative consequences, such as resentment and cynicism. What’s more, using play to serve corporate objectives might contradict the concept of play itself, understood as a phenomenon that is meant to serve no other purpose apart from its own ends.</p>}},
  author       = {{Butler, Nick and Spoelstra, Sverre}},
  booktitle    = {{Elgar Encyclopedia of Organizational Psychology}},
  isbn         = {{9781803921761}},
  keywords     = {{Digitalization; Flow; Gamification; Motivation; Self-determination theory; Serious play}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{523--526}},
  publisher    = {{Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.}},
  title        = {{Playful work}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4337/9781803921761.00103}},
  doi          = {{10.4337/9781803921761.00103}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}