There is a tendency to think of games in terms of play, where play is the opposite of work, and work is, well, work. To understand the concepts underlying corporate games, we need to rethink these notions.

Work is a state of mind! What is work to someone else, may be child’s play to you. So, instead of perceiving the task as labor, toil and drudgery, your experience in its accomplishment might be enjoyable, satisfying and, oh no, fun. Work, as it relates to people, is not an absolute. Acceptance of this idea allows us to consider that perceptions of work may be altered because work is truly just a state of mind.

The view that play and work are at the opposite ends of the continuum, is an error in thinking that makes going to work a bore, and staying at work a bigger bore.  Play is not a four-letter word. Bore is. Knock it off.