The Power of Laughter: Unleashing the Importance of Humour in the Workplace

How important is it to you to have humour in the workplace?

It is essential to me in the workplace, but also in my relationships with my husband, our son, best friends, and family members. Laughter is the best medicine for the soul!

Imagine what laughter can do in today’s fast-paced and often stressful work environments! The power of humour can be a game-changer.

Not only does humour make the workplace more enjoyable, but it also has profound effects on team dynamics, trust-building, and overall employee well-being. I found some scientific evidence and practical benefits of incorporating humour into your workplace culture.

Unleashing the Importance of Humour in the Workplace

The Science Behind Laughter and Humor in the Workplace

Humor is so much more than just cracking jokes. In fact, humor in the workplace is a complex social tool that can foster connections and enhance communication between employees, middle managers and top management.

Research indicates that humour activates the brain’s reward system, releasing endorphins and creating a sense of pleasure and relaxation. This physiological response can reduce stress, improve mood, and even boost cognitive function. Have you considered this?

When I was in my second summer job many moons ago, the owner of the place once forbade us from listening to the radio because, in his words, ”You should not have fun at work.”

I will never forget his demeanour, those words, and how he made me, a 15-year-old kid, feel about him as an employer.

Three Science-Based Facts on the Impact of Humour in the Workplace

(1) Stress Reduction

Laughter can reduce stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, and dopamine, contributing to a more relaxed and productive work environment. Its positive effect is associated with alleviating mental and physiological stress responses, which are highly present in today’s work life.

(2) Enhanced Creativity and Problem-Solving

Humour also encourages lateral thinking and creativity! Laughing regularly can make you more creative and able to think outside the box! Exposure to humour could enhance creative problem-solving abilities (Isen, Daubman, & Nowicki, 1987). I find it extremely difficult to be creative when I am utterly bored. I need a stimulus for creativity. Reading, watching, or listening to something negative, repetitive, or dull is unlikely to stimulate my creativity. Do you find the same?

(3) Improved Social Bonds

Laughter can be so contagious that it fosters a sense of community and belonging. Some psychologists and anthropologists have suggested that laughter is, first and foremost, a means for social bonding and communication that evolved to change the behaviour of others (Provine, 2000Dunbar, 2012Scott et al., 2014). Incorporating laughter and fun into your company culture and employer brand can become an important means of attraction, strengthening social bonds and increasing group cohesiveness.

Building Trust and Fostering Relationships with Workplace Humor

Trust is the cornerstone of any successful team, and humour can be a powerful tool in building it.

When leaders use humour appropriately, they humanize themselves, making them more approachable and relatable. At the recent Nordic Business Forum, board professional Sanna Suvanto-Harsaae talked about fun for top executives as an important asset for expressing vulnerability and building trust. In her speech, she stated that leaders capable of laughing at themselves are 27% more motivating and six times more likely to achieve high-performing workplaces. In other words, leaders who use humour in the workplace are perceived as more competent and trustworthy, which can enhance team morale and performance.

Unleashing the Importance of Humour in the Workplace image created on Midjourney AI

Shared Workplace Humor Boosts Employee Engagement and Productivity

Engaged employees are more productive, and humour can significantly boost engagement levels. People laugh together when they agree with each other and feel connected. Shared workplace humor can be a strong connecting (and disconnecting) factor, forming foundations for the entire workplace culture.

A study by Mesmer-Magnus, Glew and Viswesvaran found that humor is positively correlated with job satisfaction and organizational commitment. However, the authors recommend caution when attempting to cultivate humour in the workplace, as this may raise legal concerns (e.g. derogatory or sexist humour).

Efforts to encourage self-directed humour are far more likely to stay on the safe side and have the potential to buffer the harmful effects of workplace stress.

Implementing Humour in the Workplace

While the benefits of humour in the workplace are clear, it’s essential to implement it thoughtfully to avoid the kind of workplace humor that breaks trust.

What if you tried incorporating humor into your workplace culture testing some of these practical tips:

Start with including employees: Offer workshops on the appropriate use of humour in professional settings, ensuring that your plans to incorporate humour are inclusive, respectful and authentic to your workplace culture.

Lead by Example: Encourage leaders to use humour focused on laughing at themselves, setting the tone for a relaxed and open work environment and building trust.

Encourage Playfulness: Create opportunities for team-building activities that incorporate fun and laughter, such as game days or humorous icebreakers.

Celebrate Successes with Humor: Use humour to celebrate achievements and milestones, making recognition enjoyable and memorable.

Incorporating humour into the workplace is more than just a way to lighten the mood; it’s a strategic tool that can enhance trust, improve relationships, and boost productivity.

By fostering a culture of laughter, your organisation can create a more engaged, innovative, and resilient workforce. Why not embrace the power of laughter and unlock the potential of humour in the workplace?

In the wise words of Maya Angelou:

”I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t laugh.”

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