Playing to Win: How much play should you have at work? - Marion Løken - NDC Oslo 2024

This talk was recorded at NDC Oslo in Oslo, Norway. #ndcoslo #ndcconferences #developer #softwaredeveloper Attend the next NDC conference near you: https://ndcconferences.com https://ndcoslo.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel and learn every day: / @NDC Follow our Social Media! https://www.facebook.com/ndcconferences https://twitter.com/NDC_Conferences https://www.instagram.com/ndc_conferences/ How much play should you have at work? Is play a waste of time or is there something in it? 🤔 You work in tech, so you might have a foosball table at work—maybe it's even used in your job posting illustration. 🏐 🖼️ But is it used? Play was not really organized, nor prioritized in our team until two fresh-faced graduates 👩‍💻👩‍💻 injected a dose of excitement and transformed the way we spend time together into a thrilling adventure! 🚀 Our journey kicked off with a team retrospective, echoing the universal truth that psychological safety and trust thrives on deeper connections 🤝. As we brainstormed ways to bridge the familiarity gap, unexpected actions emerged – "breaks" and "play." 🤔 What unfolded next? Monthly lunches seamlessly morphed into playdates 🎮, and a weekly playtime 📅 became the norm. I'll admit, I had a smidge of worry about an overdose of play and too little focus on getting things done 😅. But fear not! This whimsical journey, backed by science, unravels why play is more than just child's play at the office. 🎉 In this lighthearted talk, we'll explore the narrative of rethinking 'play' and 'breaks,' delving into the science behind the dynamics that unfold when you engage in games with your colleagues. Spoiler alert: It's not merely about fun; it's about cultivating a winning team. Join the conversation to explore why breaks aren't for slackers; they're the power-ups for tech teams aiming for victory! 💻🏆