Let the people play!

August 29, 2006 on 11:07 am | In Social Issues |

More and more companies are blocking access to game sites like Playaholics, but we say: “Let the people play!”

Maybe these organisations are worried about “time wasting”. Or maybe they just invested in a web filtering product to block gambling or pornography but then they found that game sites were blocked by default too. Either way, their thinking is wrong. In reality, taking the occasional quick break is one of the keys to sustaining productivity in the workplace.

Besides, the old 9-to-5 regime is dead, so employees are entitled to a breather. People are spending an ever greater part of their day behind their desk and as a result, they simply must take short intervals away from multitasking in order to organise their personal life, pay their bills or take a break.

On one level, this is just common sense. We know that playing a casual game is quick pick-me-up. The adrenaline flows. You get excited. You punch the air. You recharge your batteries.

But still we look for science to support our suspicions.

For example, scientists at the University of Hull and University of Oklahoma believe that games can have positive effects on a player’s mood. They are monitoring the physiological and psychological response to games, testing for increased alertness and heart rate as well as examining cognitive function and hormone levels — a process that is called “mood profiling”. They propose that positive feelings are experienced when playing games and that there can also be increased adrenalin and alertness.

The science is fine by me, but I also believe it is mostly confirming what we already know: that whether we’re talking about a quick walk, a cup of coffee or a few minutes of Wolf N’ Swine, short diversions provide workers with a mental break, an uplifting experience and renewed energy.

Success in the workplace should be measured by a final product and not the process of getting there, which may include periods of rest. So if employees are more productive and happy after indulging in a casual game, then I say: “Let the people play!”