A new survey of UK business owners has revealed that Welsh employers have the best relationships with their staff and lead the way on understanding employee engagement. But while Welsh staff work happily alongside their bosses, could more be done to introduce play at work and so increase productivity?

The study, from absence management software and employment law advice company, BrightHR, reveals that 40 per cent of those polled – the highest proportion in the UK – know their employees ‘well’, both professionally and personally, while 86 per cent say they understand the benefits of employee engagement.

This compares with 32 per cent and 81 per cent, respectively, for the country as a whole, with Wales leading on open communication and close bonds between employers and employees.

Moreover, companies in Cardiff lead other cities in having a healthy relationship between management and workers.

The survey examined business leaders’ understanding of employee engagement, their attitudes to fun in the workplace and whether a good relationship with employees can boost productivity and profits.

94 per cent of Welsh businesses – also the highest proportion in the UK – believe that employee engagement is key to increasing profits, with 88 per cent also claiming that it has a positive effect on productivity.

It was surprising then that business owners in Wales are lagging behind the rest of the UK when it comes to being open to adopting a workplace culture which empowers workers to have fun at work.

BrightHR’s research supports the notion that to increase the productivity of employees and compete with other UK businesses for the most talented workers, it pays to play. Workplace fun reduces the impact of staff churn, has a positive impact on staff morale, creativity and productivity – and ultimately, leads to happy customers and more profitable businesses.

Although 92 per cent of Welsh business owners agree that a fun working environment is key to retaining staff, only a quarter trust their employees to have fun and still get the job done.

Moreover, fun and play at work is regarded by Welsh employers as one of the worst ‘drains’ on productivity, along with HR admin and office politics.

This indicates that while Welsh business owners have great relationships with their staff, they are failing to see the intrinsic link between injecting fun into the workplace and increased productivity.

Business leaders in Wales need to focus on building a culture of trust which empowers staff to engage in fun activities. This can be as simple as introducing a games console to the office or finding space for a ping pong table, chill out zone with board games or an office bake off.

Productivity expert Graham Allcott, who compiled the ‘Play and Productivity’ report with BrightHR, said:

“We live in an age where, in theory, productivity should be booming, but in the UK at least, it’s been flat-lining for a decade. “Technology affords us so many exciting ways to improve productivity, but there is also a downside, which many businesses just don’t see or mitigate. “Many workers feel like the boundaries between work and life are blurring, that they’re required to check email constantly or that they’re being monitored and micro-managed. So creating a culture of trust, where people can feel engaged to have fun at work and participate in constantly improving productivity has never been more vital.”

The majority of Welsh businesses take a simplistic view of employee engagement and its relation to productivity, with more than two-thirds (69 per cent) believing that the top attribute of an engaged employee is being fully committed to achieving results.

Paul Tooth, Co-Founder and CEO of BrightHR, said:

“Welsh business owners have a better relationship with their workers than those in the rest of the UK, but bosses need to do more to embrace a working culture that places an importance on play in order to unlock their potential – boosting productivity and so gaining a competitive advantage. “In addition to increasing productivity, our It Pays to Play research series indicates that fun in the workplace also reduces absenteeism and employment law issues leading to happier employees and customers, and ultimately more profitable businesses.”

Download the full Play and Productivity report at https://pages.brighthr.com/playandproductivity.html