Having fun is serious business

Lowri Dowthwaite is being totally serious when she says she wants everyone to play more at work.

The lecturer in psychological interventions at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) helps businesses and organisations across the county tackle the issue of workplace wellbeing.

And creating the fun-factor is an important part of her approach to making people’s working lives better. She says simply that being funny and having a laugh makes us all smarter.

Lowri explains: “The more you can have fun and play at work, the more creative you become and in turn the more productive you are.

“We need to move away from the idea that work should be serious and that if you are not serious you are not working hard and not doing a good job.”

Workplace wellbeing is a serious issue. In the UK it is estimated that stress and unhappiness at work costs the economy £26bn each year.

As Lowri says, creating happier workforces is vital to ensure businesses flourish.

She points to studies showing that happy people make better employees and have a positive impact on their organisations.

Happy teams experience less incidence of ill-health and absenteeism, are more resilient, more productive, better at problem solving, have superior customer service and are ultimately more profitable and successful.

Surveys of workplace wellbeing have also found that companies with highly-engaged employees significantly outperform their competitors. A lot of Lowri’s work is carried out with business leaders on creating a more positive workplace culture.

She says: “We still have a bit of a hangover from our industrial past that work should be hard and that if we are not showing stress we’re not working hard enough.

“Stress has historically been seen as something positive, a sign that they’re being more productive. That’s something we really have to get away from.

“The fact is that stress inhibits our ability to problem solve and makes us less flexible in the way we work.

“And studies of positive organisations suggest the more fun we have at work the more productive we are, and the less likely we are to suffer burn-out.”

Lowri is a lecturer in psychological interventions at UCLan and a leading speaker in the field of happiness and positive psychology. Her work has led to her being labelled in the media as “Mrs Happy”.

She says: “Companies need to talk to their workers and listen to them. Open conversations with staff can make a big difference when it comes to creating the right culture.

“It is finding out how people would like to enjoy their work more. And that’s not just about talking to people who aren’t happy – it’s about talking to those who are and finding out what makes them enjoy coming to work so much.”

The world of work is changing and Lowri says that has to be reflected in the way people are managed. She talks about the rise in ‘job crafting’ where people’s work is co-created with their managers – doing away with the traditional job description and allowing workers to focus on the things they are good at and enjoy.

Lowri explains: “If people are given the freedom to define their own role within the boundaries of the organisation, they are genuinely a lot happier in that role.”

To find out more about the work that Lowri does email or call [email protected] 01772 893703.

  • To read this feature in full and access further Lancashire business news, advice and analysis subscribe to Lancashire Business View magazine or join the LBV Hub from just £2.50 per month. Click here to subscribe now.

Enjoyed this? Read more from University of Central Lancashire

Latest news

1

Velocity seals Airbus extension worth up to $54m Velocity Composites Has Announced Its Entry Into The Us Market

Velocity seals Airbus extension worth up to $54m

08 Oct 2025

2

First speakers confirmed for Lancashire Business Day Dave Walker with Richard Slater at Lancashire Business Day

First speakers confirmed for Lancashire Business Day

08 Oct 2025

3

Hemmings steps down as PNE chairman as hunt begins for new investors Craig Hemmings

Hemmings steps down as PNE chairman as hunt begins for new investors

08 Oct 2025

4

Chamber calls for three council county Lancashire County Council County Hall

Chamber calls for three council county

08 Oct 2025

5

Victorian Plumbing reports strong financial performance Victorian Plumbing Leyland

Victorian Plumbing reports strong financial performance

07 Oct 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

Help to grow management course
Help to grow - barriers to growth.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
26 Sep 2025 - 16 Dec 2025

Help to grow management course

Preston Campus , Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 15:00

Empowering franchise growth in the North West
TFA Event - Empowering Franchise Growth.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
09 Oct 2025 - 09 Oct 2025

Empowering franchise growth in the North West

Forbes Solicitors Sceptre Way Walton Summit Centre , Preston, PR5 6AW

08:00 - 10:00

Empowering Franchise Growth in the North West
Empowering Franchise Growth in the North West event
LBV Hub Seminars
09 Oct 2025 - 09 Oct 2025

Empowering Franchise Growth in the North West

Forbes Solicitors, Sceptre Way, Walton Summit Centre, PR5 6AW, PR6 6AW

08:00 - 10:00

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – Oct 10th
Ai 10.10.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
10 Oct 2025 - 10 Oct 2025

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – Oct 10th

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 12:00

Unlocking major project opportunities in the North West
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
15 Oct 2025 - 15 Oct 2025

Unlocking major project opportunities in the North West

Strathmore Hotel, Morecambe, LA4 5AP

08:00 - 10:00

The New Employee Rights Landscape: Day One Compliance Essentials
EventBrite NORi - 15th Oct 2025 Webinar.png.png
LBV Hub Webinar
15 Oct 2025 - 15 Oct 2025

The New Employee Rights Landscape: Day One Compliance Essentials

Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Teams, PR253XH

13:30 - 15:00

The Autumn Re set - pour me a wine
LBV Advert_Autumn Reset 1200 x 630px.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Oct 2025 - 16 Oct 2025

The Autumn Re set - pour me a wine

The Artistry House , Preston , PR1 3JJ

17:30 - 19:30

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Header (26).png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Oct 2025 - 16 Oct 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

October Freelancer Meet-Up
LBV Hub Networking
16 Oct 2025 - 16 Oct 2025

October Freelancer Meet-Up

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

HR Essentials for pubs, bars and licensed venues
EventBrite NORi - 22nd Oct Webinar.png.png
LBV Hub Webinar
22 Oct 2025 - 22 Oct 2025

HR Essentials for pubs, bars and licensed venues

Online - Teams, Leyland, PR253XH

13:30 - 15:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin