Closing in on the weekend, most people tend to start acting aloof in the office. The promise of two days off over the weekend stirs certain motivations within many workers.

As a small business owner, this is something that you can actually help promote at any time of the week. As an employer, the ability to break the monotony of your usual office settings can be a huge factor in keeping your employees happy and productive.

So how can you break up the drab monotony of your usual office atmosphere without causing a break in productivity?

Here are some fun and easy ideas.

Get Closer With Social Media

Letting your employees use Facebook and Twitter can be a controversial topic for some small businesses. But if you have responsible employees, this can be a great way to bolster relationships between your employees while also letting your social media followers get a glimpse of the personality of your business. Share entertaining links and articles with your co-workers and encourage them to share.

Get Competitive

Whether it’s a Weight Watchers weight-loss contest or more related to work productivity, competitions of any kind can really stir up the best in your workers. Make the work atmosphere fun but keep it serious (if you can). Many small businesses also use the NCAA tournament or football pools in the fall to keep things lively.

Do Lunch (or Breakfast or Dinner)

Surprise your employees with an impromptu lunch. You don’t need a reason for this other than wanting to get your staff together to share a meal. Of course, you can schedule such meals in tandem with in-office successes. Being treated in such a way not only breaks up the monotony of the office, but gives your employees extra incentives to do well.

What are some other ways you have been able to break up the monotony of the office? What were your employees’ reactions?