Do you remember that episode of The Office when Jim, working at a different branch of Dunder-Mifflin, is surprised to learn that playing Call of Duty is an important part of that branch's workday? They use it as a "team-building exercise," he explains. And, when it turns out he's pretty awful at it, he's called into a meeting by his boss to discuss strategies on how to improve his play.

Yes, The Office is a fictional account of the workday shenanigans at a paper company but no, playing Call of Duty during office hours isn't such an unusual thing to behold in a U.S. office environment anymore. In fact, many companies are jumping on the bandwagon and allowing employees to play casual games during the day. While employment law firm Peninsula discovered that seven out of 10 companies now ban access to social networking sites and may be considering banning personal Internet access completely, a PopCap Games survey shows something completely different: half of the AT&T wireless customers who play games on their mobile devices are doing so at work!

Studies are beginning to take place that quantify video game playing at work. For example, scientists from the University of Utrecht studied a group of 60 employees at a Dutch insurance company. Some were allowed to play simple Windows games such as Solitaire and Mine Sweeper over the course of one month while others were not. They could play up for up to one hour during every workday and they were allowed to choose when they would play. At the same time, they were asked to keep a journal of their playing habits and feelings, specifically, how they used their game playing during the workday.

Researchers measured the results of the survey against how the employees felt about the work they do and their jobs. Professor Jeffrey Goldstein, leader of the research team, said, "The groups that played games showed improvement on both of these measures." Goldstein likens the game playing break to the coffee breaks of yesteryear, when employees were allowed to step away from their workspaces to sit in the lunchroom and enjoy a cup of coffee. The old-fashioned coffee break gave employees a chance to clear their head and relax for a few minutes before getting back to facing the tasks at hand. Goldstein said, "If you are like me, you use them [the game breaks] in a strategic, functional useful way." In addition, he says that having the option to play games (within boundaries, of course) gives employees freedom of choice over how their workday is spent and this can increase job satisfaction.

A different PopCap study came to the same conclusion: a 10-minute online break actually benefits the employee which, in turn, benefits the company. Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, a psychologist at Goldsmiths University in the UK says, "Work days are becoming longer, workloads are becoming more demanding, and UK bosses are introducing Internet bans to help combat alleged productivity losses and inappropriate use of workplace resources." But, his research suggests that if employees use even as little as 10 minutes on such activities as casual games, social networking and personal emails, productivity will actually increase. "Allowing workers more freedom at the PC can benefit morale and boost company profits," he says, adding, "In addition to allowing their mind to switch off from their work worries, employers can foster a more trusting and enjoyable environment."

Dr. Kathleen Hall, founder of the Stress Institute, couldn't agree more. She feels that 10 to 15 minutes of online computer game playing is a good way for employees to "refresh and get...ready for work."

In another PopCap survey, it was announced that of the approximately 80 million white collar U.S. workers who play casual games, almost 24% of them are playing at work. Even more interesting, a whopping 35% of high-level executives (i.e., CEOs, CFOs) count themselves as casual game players during the workday. These white collar employees also admit to playing during business meetings (14%), during lunch or other official break periods (61%) and whenever they need a short break (52%). Some (11%) play at the beginning of the workday while others (19%) play at the end, as a way to unwind.

The majority (72%) of all white collar employees who play casual games at work say they do so to improve their mental state. And, the short break makes these employees (84% of them!) "more relaxed and less stressed out" while more than half of the game players feel "more confident, more energetic, more productive and/or more mentally focused" after taking a short game break.

Indeed, casual game playing at work might be an upward trend at offices across the nation. According to Kristin Edelhauser, writing for Entrepreneur.com, some U.S. companies are replacing their traditional break rooms with areas specifically tailored to videogame playing. And, the companies that have done so are seeing an increase in employee morale and productivity. A survey by WorldWinner, a subsidiary of FUN Technologies, Inc., states that more than 80% of online gamers who are allowed to play games at work responded that they can focus better after playing. A reported 72% of these gamers claim they need these game breaks due to job-related stress.

PopCap has just such a room at its facility in Seattle. Of course, game playing is a critical component of the employees' workday at this game development company because they have to test games and chart improvements but, still, co-founder/director John Vechey says, "Our employees might be working less, but they're working smarter because they're thinking about how to make the games more fun." And, no major issues have ever come up regarding playing time getting in the way of working. Of course, there may be some employees who take advantage of the companies' game-playing benevolence but generally speaking, companies interviewed feel that "the positive results far outweigh any negatives," Edelhauser reports, "by boosting office morale, creating a positive work culture and, as a result, increasing employee productivity."

Companies that shun videogames at work, removing the games that come loaded onto computers, shutting down Web sites where people can play games (like our own Character Arcade) might be fighting a losing battle. Because, whether or not a company allows casual gaming during the workday, it appears their employees are playing them anyway! Research indicates that one in four employees play games at work. If it boosts morale, improves productivity, helps employees bond and keeps them happy, what's the harm?