At Consensus Support Services, leaders have been prioritising fun – and reaping the benefits of a thriving, happy workforce.
Fun at work is one of the key drivers of engagement for nearly 8 in 10 companies surveyed by Great Place To Work UK. Organisations who underestimate the power of fun underestimate the impact on job satisfaction, employee advocacy, loyalty and retention.
In a workplace that prioritises fun, employees enjoy their work, are motivated, and feel fulfilled in their job. And the benefits go beyond just personal enjoyment — these positive effects ultimately lead to higher levels of productivity and organisational performance.
Fun isn’t a distraction or a ‘soft’ metric — it is vital to a healthy workplace culture.
The UK healthcare sector employs almost 5 million people, and offers some of the most meaningful careers. But the demands of the sector are significant: long hours, high stress, and the responsibility of making critical decisions that directly impact patients’ lives.
As a result, stress and burnout are frequent risks to employees. Poor employee mental health costs UK employers £51 billion a year, according to Deloitte. And in our 2025 European Workforce Study, healthcare ranks only eighth out of 10 sectors rated by employees as having sufficient psychological health in the workplace. These are not issues organisations should ignore, particularly those in high-risk sectors like healthcare.
Yet fun – which is often dismissed by employers as a 'soft metric' — is proven to be a key driver of both employee engagement and employee wellbeing for 8 in 10 companies we survey. In such a challenging sector, with heavy workloads and many employees consistently needed on the frontlines, fun becomes vital for lifting morale, supporting camaraderie and boosting mental health. It provides colleagues a healthy outlet for stress which, in turn, enables employees to deliver the best possible patient care.
Research has proven time and again that what is better for people is also better for the bottom line. Leading workplaces in the sector are seeing the benefits of recognising great culture and fun at work as strategic priorities. In fact, Great Place To Work Certified™ companies in healthcare score 28 percentage points (pp) higher for fun than the typical UK healthcare organisation. They also enjoy a 13.2% lower retention rate.
At Consensus Support Services, for example, a focus on fun has helped the company to transform their workplace culture and climb the ranks of the UK's Best Workplaces™ List.
"Since placing a greater emphasis on fun, wellbeing, and open communication in the workplace, we’ve seen a noticeable shift in both employee attitudes and overall engagement," says People Director Anja Carter.
"People genuinely enjoy coming to work, and that’s reflected in the feedback we receive. There’s a stronger sense of connection, positivity, and pride across the organisation."
And it’s no coincidence that Consensus' commitment to being a great workplace for all has gone hand in hand with improved financial results.
As Anja notes, "stronger people metrics, such as improved engagement, retention, and employee satisfaction, have created a more stable and motivated workforce, which in turn has supported our expansion. Since 2023, we’ve opened several new services, and that growth has required a significant recruitment drive.
"Overall, the changes have been both tangible and anecdotal, and they’ve helped us build a workplace where people feel valued, connected, and excited to contribute."
Consensus are a care provider dedicated to empowering and inspiring people with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs to embrace the best life has to offer through residential and supported living services. Guided by their company values of 'kindness, commitment and creativity', leaders aim to enable both the people they support and the people who work there to thrive.
Consensus began working with Great Place To Work in 2023, recognising the need for rich data and employee feedback to inform their people strategy.
"We were inspired to work with Great Place To Work after seeing the positive impact it had on our previous sister company, which had earned them a spot on the Best Workplaces List," says Anja.
"At the time, we had just undergone a significant structural change, and we were actively looking for ways to strengthen employee engagement and build a more connected culture. While we had used various corporate surveys in the past, they weren’t applied consistently and didn’t offer the depth or benchmarking we were looking for. Partnering with Great Place To Work felt like a fresh and exciting opportunity to take a more strategic and meaningful approach to measuring and improving the employee experience at Consensus."
Consensus earned Certification™ in their first year of surveying. But rather than resting on their laurels, leaders got to work analysing their Trust Index™ survey results and utilising the data to shape their culture strategy. One of their main focus areas: To have more fun.
In their 2023 Trust Index survey, 63% of colleagues at Consensus agreed that the organisation was "a fun place to work". Leaders understood that by integrating more joy into their people's experience of work, the result is a happier, more engaged, productive workforce. This, in turn, would enable colleagues to better support the people they serve.
Here are a few ways in which Consensus embedded fun and enjoyment into their peoples' day-to-day:
Leading from the top: Senior leaders, including the CEO, modelled fun by taking part in activities and showing that joy belongs in daily work.
Built fun into action plans: Every team’s annual plan includes a commitment to fun – not to force fun, but to ensure it remains a priority.
Introduced 'FISH! Philosophy' training: Centred on four principles – Choose Your Attitude, Play, Make Their Day and Be There – the philosophy aims to promote a positive, engaging and productive workplace. Managers and support teams at Consensus particularly embraced the “Play” principle, finding ways to make routine tasks more enjoyable.
Recognised positivity: Colleagues who spread fun are celebrated through internal comms, newsletters, and the HapiApp recognition tool.
Encouraged spontaneous fun: Small acts to brighten the everyday have included a surprise Easter bunny and a rubber duck hunt.
By 2025, Consensus' fun score in the Trust Index survey jumped to 75% – a massive 25 percentage points higher than the typical UK workplace! – and the company has ranked on multiple UK's Best Workplaces Lists in the Super Large size category.
This recognition has brought it's own benefits, as Anja explains:
"Being recognised as a Best Workplace has played a key role in attracting talent. People want to work for an organisation that values, supports, and invests in them, and Great Place To Work recognition signals that commitment clearly.
"It’s helped us stand out in a competitive market and build a reputation as an employer of choice. By fostering a culture where people feel safe, supported, and empowered to be their best, we’ve created the conditions for sustainable growth, both culturally and financially."
| Useful Read: How High-Trust Cultures Boost Productivity and Increase Revenue Per Employee
Consensus’s focus on fun proves again that this is much more than a ‘nice-to-have’ – it’s a catalyst for stronger culture, engaged people, and better business outcomes.
By making fun a part of colleagues' daily experience, leaders have built a workplace where colleagues thrive and the organisation prospers.
"In healthcare, where the stakes are high and the pressure is constant, fun isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity," says Anja. "When we create space for joy, connection and laughter at work, we’re not just improving morale, we’re strengthening our teams, supporting mental wellbeing, and ultimately enhancing the care we deliver. Fun is a powerful force for good, and it belongs at the heart of every great workplace."