Just under three quarters (74%) of employees said they would prefer a workplace that fostered a fun atmosphere as opposed to one where they received better pay.
Recruitment agency Adecco Group also found 86% of the 1,000 employees surveyed think having fun at work is important, but 70% have worked somewhere where an employer has failed to promote a "fun spirit" in the workplace.
Adecco's research highlighted fun-related productivity issues, with two thirds (67%) of employees admitting they feel less committed and loyal to their job if there isn't a fun, competitive spirit in the workplace and do just the minimum required of them.
Commenting on the findings, Andy Powell, director at Adecco, said: "As the global economy continues to strain under the burden of debt, employers should take heart from the fact workers we surveyed value a fun working environment over pay.
"Generating loyalty and commitment need not be about hard cash. In a climate of wage restraint, employers would do well to focus on employee wellbeing and happiness. But a worrying majority of British employees are working somewhere, which doesn't have fun on the agenda. Sports, teams, clubs and schemes are also in short supply, despite the benefits they offer in engendering team spirit and positivity, especially when times are tough".
In an effort to improve the current 30% rate of workplaces that have sports teams or clubs, Adecco, which is the official recruitment partner for the London 2012 Olympic games, has launched a campaign - The Workplace Games, headed by hurdler Colin Jackson. The campaign aims to get workers competing with each other in workplace-based challenges, which are filmed and then posted on Facebook.
"Competitive sport doesn't always have to be serious and has numerous benefits in bringing workforces together and engendering team spirit" Jackson said.
