The physical benefits of laughter are well documented. Laughter decreases stress hormones, boosts the immune system, and raises the heart rate, bringing more blood and oxygen to the brain. It also increases the level of alertness and memory as well as the ability to learn and create. So, how are you bringing a culture of respectful humor into the workplace?
Benefits
It makes sense that all that extra brain power and relaxation would lead to enhanced performance at work. And, laughter has other benefits around the workplace, which include:
Stronger Teams. Laughter breaks down barriers, builds relationships, and allows for better communication among coworkers. People with a sense of humor often have the ability to deal effectively with people and work issues, and they keep the severity of problems in perspective.
Humor also enhances collaboration and team-building, creating a climate in which people feel motivated, energized, and ready to contribute. You could say that the group that plays together stays together.
Happier Colleagues Laughter reduces workplace stress and breaks up boredom and fatigue. Happier, more relaxed co-workers are able to better focus on tasks, make fewer errors, and are more productive. They stick around longer, are absent less, and don’t burn out.
Humor also helps to minimize resistance to change. It’s a good defense against the stress of reorganizing, downsizing, outsourcing, and other sometimes unsettling workplace trends.
Creative Problem-Solvers. Humor unleashes creativity and divergent problem-solving. For example, good jokes guide us down one path only to suddenly track us onto another with the punchline. This breaks the habits of our thinking and leads to increased creativity.
How to Bring Humor to Work
Inviting humor into the workplace is not about entertaining others. It’s not pranks, practical jokes or juvenile antics. Instead, it’s more of an attitude, a way of viewing and processing things.
Three keys to inspire more humor in your work life:
1) Look for humor. The more you look, the more you’ll find and receive. Try to see things from an out-of-the-ordinary perspective. Ask yourself, what’s amusing about this?
2) Laugh at yourself. Whatever your title or role at work, laughing at yourself encourages trust and goodwill.
3) Keep humor appropriate for the workplace. Never poke fun at anyone in a subordinate position and don’t deprecate a person’s beliefs or background. There is plenty of wonderful, clean humor out there. Inappropriate humor needs to be weeded out.
Author’s content used under license, © Claire Communications
