Work, for many, isn’t working. The data is clear, and the conversations on the ground say the same: low engagement, high stress, rising burnout.
Playfulness changes that. Not as a perk, but as a leadership skill. It lightens heavy moments, reduces tension, and fuels motivation. It lifts creativity, productivity, and engagement. It strengthens cohesion and resilience. Most of all, it helps teams navigate disruption and uncertainty with energy rather than exhaustion.
The world — and the workplace — are shifting fast. More chaotic. More disruptive. Yet at the same time, we’re finally talking about the human factors that make or break performance. Playfulness is the state humans enter when we’re at our best: curious, creative, and connected.
The Playfulness Lab exists to train the kind of leaders this era demands.
Because stress narrows thinking. Playfulness opens it.
Because rigid systems break under pressure. Playful teams bend, adapt, and bounce forward.
Because creativity, curiosity, and human connection aren’t soft skills. They’re performance skills.
We’ve spent years researching how playfulness works — in brains, in teams, in high-stakes environments. The evidence is clear:
Playfulness is a strategic advantage. Not fluff. Not a perk. A lever for performance.
We train leaders to use playfulness to unlock:
Energy in tired teams
Creativity in rigid cultures
Collaboration in tense environments
Resilience in uncertain times
We do this through:
The Playful Leader Certification – a 6–12 month learning journey for managers, leaders, and change-makers
Workshops and Consulting – tailored programmes for teams under pressure
Research & Resources – practical insights to shift mindsets and reshape culture
The Playfulness Lab is a Community Interest Company. That means our profits don’t go to shareholders — they go back into widening access, funding research, and developing new tools for real-world impact. Especially for leaders from underrepresented or underserved backgrounds.
At The Playfulness Lab, we focus on one thing: helping leaders build high-performance teams. The Foundation Course equips managers and team leads with practical tools to re-energise their people, spark collaboration, and keep creativity alive under pressure. It’s designed to be simple, usable, and immediately effective in day-to-day team life.
For those who want to go deeper, the Practitioner Programme develops playfulness as part of your leadership DNA. Over several months of guided practice and cohort learning, you’ll learn how to embed a culture where motivation, adaptability, and innovation become the norm – the hallmarks of teams that thrive in disruption.
High-performance today isn’t about tighter control — it’s about leaders who can unlock curiosity, creativity, and connection so their teams perform at their best. That’s why the journey from Foundation to Practitioner isn’t just personal development; it’s a progression that turns good teams into great ones.
Whether you’re a manager looking to lift the energy in your current team, or a senior leader shaping culture across an organisation, these programmes give you a recognisable edge: the ability to consistently build teams that deliver results and stay engaged when times get tough.
A high-impact, on-demand course + live session with Chris Marshall, behavioural scientist and founder of The Playfulness Lab.
Perfect for leaders, facilitators, and change-makers who want to understand how playful leadership can help increase performance and adaptability in high-stakes work.
Key information:
For those ready to take playful leadership from theory into embodied practice.
Through live online modules led by Chris Marshall – behavioural scientist and founder of The Playfulness Lab – plus reflection, supervision, and a final practicum, you’ll learn to lead from playfulness, not just talk about it.
Designed for leaders and practitioners navigating complexity, culture change, or team energy – especially when the stakes are high.
This is where the work gets real, relational, and transformative.
Key information:
