It’s been said that the average 4 year-old laughs 300 times a day…and for the average 40 year-old it might be four times! Amazing Companies are bringing the fun back into work and reminding us to still keep our childlike nature alive and well. The environment and physical offices tend to be bright and full of color.

Some companies even look like big playgrounds! And they take the time to do fun things together. They joke around, play tricks on each other, and have mascots and rituals that keep the culture alive and well. And, despite so, they seem to have super productive employees too, so it isn’t all fun and games all the time either. They get results and are reaching their objectives.

• Achievements are rewarded and honored publicly. Achievers, a Canadian based recognition company that we featured in Engage!, has built an entire company around just this idea. Research shows that 64 percent of people leaving their jobs do so because they do not feel appreciated. Disengaged employees cost companies $300 billion per year in lost productivity!

• A fun work environment helps creativity, strengthens relationships, and brings positive energy into the workplace. Amazing Companies know that having fun makes people happier, so it makes them enjoy their jobs.

Southwest Airlines knows that flying can be very stressful for their customers, so they use humor as a way to help people relax. Anyone who has ever experienced one of their flights has probably laughed a few times during the flight. They are known for their announcements that will make even the most serious person break out in a belly laugh:

-“Everyone on the plane’s left side, toward the termi­nal, put your faces in the window and smile, so our competitors can see what a full flight looks like.”

-“In the unlikely event of a cabin depressurization, please secure your mask and then decide which child you like better.”

-“We got you here roughly 25 minutes early. So next time you fly Southwest and we happen to be running late, remember that you owe us 25 minutes.”

-“We don’t expect a loss of cabin pressure today. If we did, the three of us would have called in sick. But if we do lose pressure, masks will automatically fall from the ceiling. After you’re done screaming, simply put the mask on and breathe normally.”

• Focus on what is going well. Unfortunately many of us are conditioned to focus on the problems. There is always something that you can find that is going well. When you deliberately take time each day to acknowledge the small wins and what is positive, you start to recondition your brain to see more of that. And it help to create a positive environment. Over a decade of research in positive psychology shows the importance of choosing to see the bright side.

Celebration includes fun, laughter, recognition, appreciation, and ability to make mistakes and learn from them. It also includes having an environment where employees enjoy working together and where customers feel a sense of joy in their interactions with the company. What can you celebrate today?