Most of us spend the majority of our lives at work — but how often do we pause to ask whether our days are actually fun?

In this episode of Hello Monday, host Jessi Hempel sits down with Bree Groff, a senior advisor at SYPartners and author of Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously), to talk about how fun, mischief, and human connection can radically improve our work lives.

Bree’s work centers around workplace transformation and employee experience. She’s advised companies like Google, Microsoft, Pfizer, and Calvin Klein on how to build work cultures where people thrive. And her approach is surprisingly joyful.

Jessi and Bree unpack:

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  Why fun belongs at the center of great workplace culture

  
  


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  How professionalism can strip us of our humanity — and how to get it back

  
  


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  The emotional toll of over-identifying with our jobs

  
  


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  How “Do Nothing Days” unlock creativity and innovation

  
  


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  The radical power of micro-mischief and music in the workplace

  
  


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  Friendship at work and why it matters more than we think

  
  

This episode is for anyone feeling worn down by workplace norms or wondering if work has to feel so serious. Bree offers fresh, practical strategies to build a work life that’s more joyful, more connected, and yes, more productive.

Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us this Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.