Name: Varn Media
Based: Bradford on Avon
Website: www.varnmedia.co.uk
There are problems with people working at desks all day in offices – physical and mental challenges ranging from demotivation, eye strain to obesity. It’s natural for staff to want to get out of their allotted space for a moment, maybe to smoke a cigarette outside or to get a glass of water.
At Varn Media we work hard for clients to combine search engine marketing and optimisation with website design and website statistical analysis. The workload requires dedication and high levels of sustained focus. We decided that the best way to combat that 3 o’clock burn-out was to do something to get staff re-engaged and get the circulation pumping, something that takes five minutes out of the day and pushes everyone back into the zone.
For five minutes each day, until a siren on a timer sounds off, everyone in the office starts shooting each other. Luckily it’s only Nerf guns with foam darts!
With bags of ammo, eye protection and a gun at each desk, tactics include using chairs as shields and offices as strongholds. It’s incredibly frantic, anarchic and after the five minutes of shrieking, yelling and the sounds of the electric motors on Nerf machine guns powering down, everyone is panting, has adrenaline in their veins and is smiling.
It’s incredible how after those five minutes productivity visibly increases. Having fun works!
Richard Forsyth is the PR manager at Varn Media
