Category: Happy At Work

Danish workers have a tradition of playing small Christmas pranks on each other throughout December, based on the old folk belief in nisser, little elf-like creatures that hid in people’s houses and played pranks on people.

This is the way it works in many Danish workplaces:

1. At the beginning of December, everyone draws the name of a co-worker without revealing whose name they drew.
2. Throughout December, your job is to play harmless little pranks on that person without getting caught.
3. Just before Christmas you get the whole team together and everyone has to try and guess who’s been pranking them.

This is fun in itself and you can try that if you want.

But lately we’ve been telling workplaces to turn this around so that instead of pranks, you do anonymous acts of workplace kindness. You can leave candy on someone’s desk or maybe decorate their workstation for the holidays without getting caught? The possibilities are endless. Get creative :o)

So this holiday season, be a good nisse.

This video very elegantly frames the choice we all face – whether to work for money or to do something we like:

Of course, it needn’t always be a choice. Studies show that being happy at work will make you more successful.

I blog a few times a week (usually) but I’m on twitter pretty much every day, so if you want more timely tips, links and ideas on happiness at work, consider following me on twitter.