Why Play-Based Business Workshops Are Essential for Workplace Wellness in Today’s Teams

Tové Kane
May 7
4 min read

Updated: May 9

Promoting workplace wellness Tove in white jacket in front of flower mural

How Laughter, Improv, and Mindfulness Build Stronger, Happier, More Resilient Workplaces and Boost Workplace Wellness In today’s fast-paced, always-on business world, stress is not a side effect—it’s a constant. Burnout is on the rise. Team morale is sinking. And traditional corporate training no longer cuts it.

Enter: Play.

Not as a gimmick. Not as a break. But as a transformational tool.

Workshops like “The Business of Play” are changing how companies approach team building, workplace wellness, emotional intelligence, and creative problem solving—and the results are real.

Let’s explore why this powerful blend of laughter yoga, improvisation, and mindfulness isn’t just fun—it’s essential.

1. 💥 Play Disarms Stress and Sparks Engagement

According to the Centre for Mental Health, mental illness costs England alone £300 billion annually in lost productivity, absenteeism, and presenteeism. In business terms? That’s your bottom line bleeding out.

Laughter therapy and improv games are scientifically proven to reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) and increase dopamine and serotonin—making your team not only feel better but work better.

Workshops like The Business of Play offer teams a stress-reset. The results?

Improved focus
Enhanced productivity
Reduced conflict

2. 🧠 Emotional Intelligence Is the New Competitive Edge

In a world dominated by AI, what makes humans irreplaceable? Emotional intelligence (EQ).

But EQ isn’t taught through slideshows. It’s built through experience—and that’s where play comes in.

Through roleplay, improvisation, and mindful awareness, employees learn:

How to regulate emotions in high-pressure situations
How to communicate with empathy
How to lead with authenticity and presence

Whether your team is on the front lines or in leadership, EQ fuels better decision-making, collaboration, and culture.

3. 🤝 Play Builds Trust Faster Than a Trust Fall Ever Did

People connect when they feel safe to be human. And nothing builds psychological safety faster than laughing, creating, and failing safely together.

The improv techniques used in The Business of Play help teams:

Strengthen group trust and rapport
Improve active listening and “yes, and” collaboration
Break down silos between departments or hierarchies

This creates a culture where new ideas flow, feedback is welcomed, and innovation thrives.

4. 🚀 Creativity Is Fuelled by Joy and Nonlinear Thinking

Want innovation? You need play.

Traditional brainstorming meetings often lead to groupthink. But put a team in a safe, playful space with structured improv and laughter exercises, and you unlock:

Lateral thinking
Bold ideas
Faster problem solving

Play bypasses the logical “should” brain and taps into the curious, risk-taking mindset your business actually needs to evolve.

5. 🌱 Mindful Teams Are Resilient Teams

When mindfulness is layered into playful team experiences, people don’t just connect with each other—they reconnect with themselves.

Workshops that incorporate mindfulness-based cognitive behavioural techniques teach staff how to:

Pause instead of panic
Respond instead of react
Stay grounded in high-pressure environments

This builds resilience from the inside out–preventing burnout before it stars.

6. 🧭 Play Develops Agile Thinking for Rapid Change

In a rapidly changing world, adaptability is more important than rigid strategy. Play encourages spontaneous thinking, flexibility, and learning through experimentation.

Through improv exercises, your team learns to:

Navigate ambiguity without freezing
Respond rather than resist change
Embrace a mindset of curiosity over fear

This builds business agility from the ground up.

7. 🎤 Communication Becomes Clearer, Braver, and More Human

Having spent over three decades in broadcasting, I know this: how you say something is just as important as what you say.

Play-based workshops teach:

The power of presence
Speaking with clarity and confidence
Active listening and conscious response

Your team walks away with stronger communication that translates to better meetings, client relationships, and conflict resolution.

8. 🫶 Inclusion and Diversity Thrive in Playful Environments

When people play together, barriers fall away—titles, job roles, accents, and cultural differences dissolve into connection.

The nature of improvisation and laughter is inclusive:

Everyone is invited to contribute
Every idea is valid and explored
Difference becomes a strength, not a stressor

This cultivates an inclusive environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.

9. 🧬 Play Reconnects People With Their Purpose

Employees aren’t disengaged because they’re lazy—they’re overwhelmed, disconnected, or unheard.

When people laugh, play, and reflect mindfully, they remember:

Why they started
What lights them up
How their work impacts the bigger picture

Purpose-driven teams are more loyal, innovative, and energised.

10. 💡 It’s Not a Workshop—It’s a Cultural Reboot

The Business of Play doesn’t just deliver a fun afternoon—it seeds a new way of being in your business.

It creates a ripple effect that touches:

Team culture
Employee wellness
Communication style
Conflict management
Long-term retention

Play becomes a practice, not a one-off event.

Why “The Business of Play” Works

Led by award-winning broadcaster and international Laughter Yoga Master Trainer Tové Kane, The Business of Play merges performance psychology with real-world tools for emotional and cultural transformation.

With 35+ years in communication, Tové brings unmatched energy, insight, and humour to each session—online or in person.

Watch this video on: Five Audacious Tips to Create Playfulness at Work to Build Happier, More Productive Teams.