(NAPSA)—Summer is in full swing, but sadly, that might not mean much for hard-working Americans these days. No matter what time of year, the gainfully employed seem to spend more than half of their waking hours at work, making the workplace their home away from home. Employee productivity and loyalty are known to increase in work environments that value camaraderie and encourage the occasional stress-relieving activity, yet current trends suggest that employees are increasingly overworked and stressed. “For many, work is something we do only to makea living. It’s time to change that,” says Alexander Kjerulf, chief happiness officer and author of “Happy HourIs 9 to 5.” “Today, employees want to love their jobs, so a happy workplace is essential.” A few tips from Kjerulf on how to improve the workplace include: Stop by the water cooler: Take a few minutes each day to get to know yourcolleagues Take a break: Make time in your daily work routine for an afternoon stroll or a yammy snack Bond with your boss: Whether it’s over coffee or morning chit chat, touching base with the boss can strengthen your relationship and make for a more pleasant workplace atmosphere. Many companies make employee satisfaction a priority and strive to build a more positive workplace culture. “Dreyer’s/ Edy’s Ice Cream is a perfect example,” says Kjerulf. “The company has a true ‘I can make a difference’ work culture and understands the importance of a work/life balance.” To spread their happy work culture, Dreyer’s/Edy’s has Ne Employees stop to take a snack break at work. launched the Dibs Quest for a Cooler Workplace” campaign and wants to inspire employees nationwide to make a positive impact in their workplace. Dibs wants to hear all about what employees are doing to put the “cool” factor back into the workplace. And the reward...350 offices, job sites and businesses will receive a fully stocked (and restocked) freezer full of Dibs bitesized ice cream snacks for a month. Howcoolis that! According to a recent survey commissioned by Dreyer’s and conducted by Harris Interactive, about one in three women (34 percent) said that a snack break would help them be more productive at work, and about a third of younger workers (18-34) said that ice cream would be their choice for a morale boosting snack (30 percent). The Dibs Quest for a Cooler Workplace contest will run through August 5. For more information and to enter, visit www.dibs.com. Online survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Dreyer’s between Feb. 5 and Feb. 7, 2007, among 2,585 U.S. adults 18+. Sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points. This online survey is not based on a probability sample.
