The duality of playful work design: A diary study of designing fun and competition

Although employees often have limited control over task assignments, schedules, or collaboration partners, they may still have discretion in how they carry out tasks. Building on Job Demands-Resources theory, we integrate information-processing perspectives of play to propose that playful work design – proactively adding elements of fun and competition to routine activities – can be useful even in tightly structured jobs by increasing activated positive affect and reducing exhaustion. We tested this proposition in a 20-day diary study among 57 Norwegian naval cadets, yielding 1,046 day-level observations, using multilevel structural equation modeling. On days when cadets designed their work playfully, they reported more activated positive affect and less exhaustion. Combining designing fun with designing competition amplified these benefits. Thus, small discretionary choices in how employees approach work may produce immediate well-being gains in low-discretion roles and offer a micro-level pathway through which play at work can support performance.