Be a player and become a better PR

There is increasing research to suggest that ‘play’ has vital benefits for adults in the workplace, particularly when it comes to improved learning, creativity, and stress management.

As a thriving agency hinges on the team’s ability to consistently spring forth with a plethora of creative, strategic, well-articulated and generally, excellent ideas, this can only be a good thing. Our industry is also renowned for tight deadlines, quick turnarounds and being on the receiving end of sharp-tongued journalists. So surely, anything to help keep stress levels low and good vibes high is worth considering.

Team Aberfield is no stranger to a bit of light relief, from team lunches to away days and awards parties, we’re all for striking a happy balance between work and play.

Beyond that, by building play into the everyday, agencies can reap the benefits of a confident, creative and happy team.

So how does it work?

According to the National Institute for Play, when play circuits in the midbrain are triggered, the related neurons create a cascade of activity in our higher brain functions. The more often this happens — the more often we play — the more those neurons connect and the stronger those pathways get.

The neural connections created when we play are the brain wiring patterns that give us better control over our thoughts and emotions, equating to better clarity, focus, stress management and wellbeing,

But what do you mean by play?

Founder of the National Institute for Play, Dr Stuart Brown says, ‘Play is state of mind that one has when absorbed in an activity that provides enjoyment and a suspension of sense of time.’

He goes on to explain that the situations that trigger our play states are individual to each person and our brain wiring. So really, play can be anything – anything that shuts out the everyday and makes time lose all meaning.

The thought of agency ‘play time’ gives me sweaty palms, what do I do?

Don’t panic, we’re not talking face paints, team sports and Barbies. Here are three simple ways to build a playful ethos into agency life without the need for board games or gym kit.

1. Create a safe space and a social atmosphere
   Creating a social atmosphere where people feel comfortable to let their hair down, goof around, be open, honest and opinionated is a gamechanger when it comes to fostering creativity and confidence.There’s nothing more creatively stunting than not feeling comfortable with your team. Believe me, I’ve been there. But a fun, friendly, accepting atmosphere encourages people to put themselves out there, take risks, fail without judgement, learn and grow.
2. Get hands on
   We’re all sadly familiar with the death by PowerPoint training session. But thinking outside of the slide show and opting for a more practical and experimental approach results in training that’s effective, productive and a far cry from boring.Our Aberfield crisis comms training saw us step into the shoes of a business under cyberattack and safely placed team members less familiar with crisis comms outside of their comfort zone and into a hands on crisis situation.We played pretend, but made it agency, and came away way more clued up around crisis comms.
3. Know when to knock off.
   Come 5pm, your time is yours to do as you please.In our eyes, agencies should embrace hobbies, passions and pastimes and give people the time they need to be creative outside work.

At Aberfield, we have everything from wild swimmers and avid pastry chefs to a champion gravy wrestler and we have firm boundaries to ensure that work doesn’t interfere with our out of hours activities.

Whether it’s making Custard Creams from scratch, perfecting the art of topiary or chasing WarHammer world domination, these are the things that spark creativity, give you a unique perspective and make you a well-rounded, interesting individual.

Who wouldn’t want that? And perhaps more importantly for this blog, who wouldn’t want that in their PR team?

Play your way

In the words of National Institute for Play founder, Dr Stuart Brown we are ‘built to play and built by play.’

So, whatever brings you joy and wherever you find your ‘play state’, whether in or out of work, go ahead and play your way and be justified in the knowledge that your brain, your boss, your colleagues and your clients will all be better for it.