This study examined the effect of workplace fun in correctional facilities on organizational citizenship behavior, with work engagement as a mediating factor. Data were collected from 213 officers across 27 correctional facilities in Central Java Province, Indonesia, and analyzed using SmartPLS 4. Results indicated that work engagement plays a complementary mediator in the influence of workplace fun on organizational citizenship behavior. This study contributes to the existing literature by exploring and predicting the effect of workplace fun and the mediating role of work engagement, aspects that have received limited attention in previous research on correctional officers. It is expected that these findings will provide insights, evidence, and valuable knowledge for academics, practitioners, and correctional policymakers, demonstrating that a fun work environment enhances employee engagement and promotes organizational citizenship behavior as an important factor that can improve organizational effectiveness and optimize functionality in addressing various challenges and potential issues. In other words, these findings encapsulate the concept of “play hard, work hard, and contribute hard” for correctional officers. © 2025 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.