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We all know that employee engagement is one of the key success measures for any workplace wellness program. And we've written previously about one creative tactic: Treat workplace wellness as entertainment.

Well, we might be on to something.

U.S. News & World Report runs a piece titled “Goofing Off to Get Healthy.” The piece describes that a “movement has emerged to combine fitness and frivolity on a grand scale. This extends from obstacle course races and The Color Run, where the untimed participants jog in rainbow poofs of color, to die-hard undead zombie runs and semi-clad Undie Runs. Quite literally millions have flocked to events that promote goofing off to get healthy.”

Said says Dr. Pamela Peeke, spokeswoman for the American College of Sports Medicine: “It was time. Everyone was getting way too serious. They were pushing themselves and losing sight of the fun and the satisfaction one gets by going out there and doing it.”

Indeed, aside from the health benefits, generating “fun and satisfaction” as part of a positive work experience is an important part of growing “happiness at work.” Founding Director of Happiness Works Nic Marks writes in the Huffington Post: “There is a huge body of research that says that not only do good relationships contribute significantly towards people’s happiness at work, but also helps people become more resilient in the face of every day stresses and frustrations. In contrast, lonely workers tend to withdraw from work. They are less motivated and don’t perform as well as their connected peers. And at a wider level, lonely workers are less likely to help others, be considerate or speak well of the business.”

So what are some examples of making wellness fun? Among those listed in U.S. News & World Report: “From hula hooping workouts to laughter yoga, the drive to get silly while getting fit has made the playing field more inviting to a broader group of people, including those turned off by more serious, competitive events.”