Learning to Laugh
In working environments where humor is supported there develops a culture that utilizes the humor to reduce stress and provide perspective. We have all heard humor directed at lawyers, medical personnel, scientists, engineers, business persons, educators, etc. Learning to laugh at ourselves and our work lightens the load. |
Intelligence and Creativity
Humor is associated with intelligence and creativity, both of which should be highly valued in the work place. Humor creates positive emotions and there are strong correlations between positive emotions and job performance. We know that stress is one of the main causes of illness, absenteeism, employee burnout and many other associated problems and humor is a great stress reliever, it makes us feel good and you can’t feel good and feel stress at the same time. When we are happy and enjoy our place of employment, anger, anxiety and depression will be all but gone.
The primary theory about humor, which is well accepted, is that it stems from incongruity. In other words, we find jokes or comments funny because they are linking two things together perhaps through a punch line that you wouldn't normally link together, or that shouldn't go together. Essentially, that's what creativity is, too: Putting things together in a unique way, like using the Internet for something people wouldn't have thought of before.
Humor is associated with intelligence and creativity, both of which should be highly valued in the work place. Humor creates positive emotions and there are strong correlations between positive emotions and job performance. We know that stress is one of the main causes of illness, absenteeism, employee burnout and many other associated problems and humor is a great stress reliever, it makes us feel good and you can’t feel good and feel stress at the same time. When we are happy and enjoy our place of employment, anger, anxiety and depression will be all but gone.
The primary theory about humor, which is well accepted, is that it stems from incongruity. In other words, we find jokes or comments funny because they are linking two things together perhaps through a punch line that you wouldn't normally link together, or that shouldn't go together. Essentially, that's what creativity is, too: Putting things together in a unique way, like using the Internet for something people wouldn't have thought of before.
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Bulletin Boards
The development of staff cohesion and a sense of team effort in the workplace can be effectively facilitated by the use of humor. Bulletin boards, electronic mail, intra-office memos, voice mail, etc. all offer mediums through which we can share humor with co-workers. Office jokes taking the seriousness of work lightly provide us with the opportunity to become more connected with others. Humor is a non-threatening medium through which an employee or employer can communicate with others without intensifying the emotional temperature of the relationship. An office bulletin board loaded with cartoons, one liner jokes, pictures, etc. is one way to invite humor into the workplace and just a few moments of humor at work can lead to increased productivity.
The development of staff cohesion and a sense of team effort in the workplace can be effectively facilitated by the use of humor. Bulletin boards, electronic mail, intra-office memos, voice mail, etc. all offer mediums through which we can share humor with co-workers. Office jokes taking the seriousness of work lightly provide us with the opportunity to become more connected with others. Humor is a non-threatening medium through which an employee or employer can communicate with others without intensifying the emotional temperature of the relationship. An office bulletin board loaded with cartoons, one liner jokes, pictures, etc. is one way to invite humor into the workplace and just a few moments of humor at work can lead to increased productivity.
Bonded and Cohesive
No one has really studied humor as an important part of employee performance directly, but we do know that positive affect in the workplace increases individual performance. And humor is one of the things associated with a positive affect, which increases not only productivity, but also the ability to communicate well with the boss, co-workers, and customers. It also enhances the degree to which you feel bonded, cohesive, and part of the group in the workplace. Consider the frazzled secretary who posts the sign "I have only two speeds, and if this one isn't fast enough then I'm sure you're not going to like my other." |
Or the somewhat scattered boss whose messy desk is complimented with a note that says, "A Creative Mess is better than Tidy Idleness." The secretary's sign pokes fun at the situation, and the boss's note pokes some fun at himself.
Laughing at Yourself
We know that all good lecturers have many jokes, stories, and anecdotes that are shared in order to command attention and energize the audience because humor wakes us up and increases our attentiveness and in stressful working environments where humor is supported there develops a culture that utilizes the humor to reduce stress and provide perspective.
We know that all good lecturers have many jokes, stories, and anecdotes that are shared in order to command attention and energize the audience because humor wakes us up and increases our attentiveness and in stressful working environments where humor is supported there develops a culture that utilizes the humor to reduce stress and provide perspective.
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Laughing all the way to the Bank
Michael Kerr, an international business speaker, president of Humor at Work, and author of The Humor Advantage: Why Some Businesses are Laughing all the Way to the Bank (Dec. 2013), says the amount or type of humor you’ll find in any given workplace depends almost entirely on the culture. “In workplaces that encourage people to be themselves–that are less hierarchical and more innovative–people tend to be more open with their humor,” he says. “Even people who aren’t always comfortable sharing their humor tend to do so in more relaxed environments where the use of humor becomes second nature with everyone’s style.”
“At an organizational level, some organizations are tapping into what has been called ‘the humor advantage,’" Kerr says - “Companies such as Zappos and Southwest Airlines have used humor and a positive fun culture to help brand their business, attract and retain employees and to attract customers.”
Michael Kerr, an international business speaker, president of Humor at Work, and author of The Humor Advantage: Why Some Businesses are Laughing all the Way to the Bank (Dec. 2013), says the amount or type of humor you’ll find in any given workplace depends almost entirely on the culture. “In workplaces that encourage people to be themselves–that are less hierarchical and more innovative–people tend to be more open with their humor,” he says. “Even people who aren’t always comfortable sharing their humor tend to do so in more relaxed environments where the use of humor becomes second nature with everyone’s style.”
“At an organizational level, some organizations are tapping into what has been called ‘the humor advantage,’" Kerr says - “Companies such as Zappos and Southwest Airlines have used humor and a positive fun culture to help brand their business, attract and retain employees and to attract customers.”
Legal Considerations
Although we can easily see that work place humor can build relationships amongst fellow workers and management it is important to also understand what is considered appropriate and inappropriate humor for not only legal issues but work place cohesiveness. Inappropriate workplace humor may be deemed as "evidence in sexual harassment, discrimination and hostile work environment cases". It has led to serious consequences in cases such as the Krull case, where the ombudsman of King County, Washington was fired for sending a copy of the 1894 booklet Instruction and Advice for the Young Bride to his soon-to-be-married assistant, or Chevron Corporation having to pay more than $2 million as a settlement with four employees after an interoffice email circulated on the subject of "25 Reasons Why Beer is Better Than Women".
Although we can easily see that work place humor can build relationships amongst fellow workers and management it is important to also understand what is considered appropriate and inappropriate humor for not only legal issues but work place cohesiveness. Inappropriate workplace humor may be deemed as "evidence in sexual harassment, discrimination and hostile work environment cases". It has led to serious consequences in cases such as the Krull case, where the ombudsman of King County, Washington was fired for sending a copy of the 1894 booklet Instruction and Advice for the Young Bride to his soon-to-be-married assistant, or Chevron Corporation having to pay more than $2 million as a settlement with four employees after an interoffice email circulated on the subject of "25 Reasons Why Beer is Better Than Women".
Humor is an inevitable part of the social environment, and has been shown to be a potential tool for improving worker satisfaction and organizational results. Studies have suggested that humor can increase worker cohesiveness, creativity, motivation, and resilience in the face of adversity. On the other hand, workplace humor (especially negative humor) can also be misused to reinforce bigotry, denigrate minorities, create an atmosphere of physical or sexual harassment, or as a management tool to reinforce managerial authority.
So Hire the Funny Guy?
So, should you select the funniest person for a job? What about the class clown, someone who's constantly joking and has to be the center of attention all the time? That could be too much for a workplace, it could get distracting for the other employees, and any boss would probably have valid worries about that kind of person. But if you can get some more subtle indicators in an interview that someone has a good sense of humor say, they appreciate humor or they find things funny that might be someone you want to have around. |
The other thing is that humor is viral. When someone's laughing, it's kind of contagious and it can spread a positive general benefit to the workplace.
Humor is a major career asset, so let's be serious about humor and use humor to lighten our seriousness in the workplace. As we increase our personal humor quotient and spread our humor contagiously to others, we will begin to see the "light" at the end of the tunnel.
Humor is a major career asset, so let's be serious about humor and use humor to lighten our seriousness in the workplace. As we increase our personal humor quotient and spread our humor contagiously to others, we will begin to see the "light" at the end of the tunnel.
Book Above
Humor at Work: The Guaranteed, Bottom Line, Low Cost, High Efficiency Guide to Success Through Humor. Bestselling humorists offer guidance for identifying and developing your own sense -- and style -- of humor and using it to your best advantage in the workplace.
By Clicking on the image you will be redirected to the information page at Amazon.com
Humor at Work: The Guaranteed, Bottom Line, Low Cost, High Efficiency Guide to Success Through Humor. Bestselling humorists offer guidance for identifying and developing your own sense -- and style -- of humor and using it to your best advantage in the workplace.
By Clicking on the image you will be redirected to the information page at Amazon.com
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