Author: Selina Frederick View other articles by this author here.
For an answer to that question, read this sign which appeared in an Optometrist's Office: “If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place.”
How about this sign, which appeared at a passport office: "If you feel as bad as you look in your passport picture, you are too sick to travel." Common sense tells us why humour should be part of your workplace. Humour is good. Work stress can be bad. Humour makes stress seem not so bad. There are also lots of studies, which support the need for humour in the workplace. Dr. William Fry, from Stanford University, found that 20 seconds of intense laughter, even if it is faked, can double the heart rate for three to five minutes. It would take three minutes of strenuous rowing to do the same thing. I don't know about you but I would pick the laughter over the rowing any time. Dr. David J Abramis, a psychologist at the California State University's School of Business Administration, in Long Beach, studied 341 workers and found that those, who had the most fun at their jobs, were likely to be the most productive. Humour distracts us from the stresses in our day. Injecting a bit of humour is like pushing the reset button. It's like stepping back to catch your breath ---- only you follow through with a good guffaw. Think of the times when you had fun at work. Was humour not present? When humour is sucked out of a situation, out goes the fun. Are you really surprised when you read that healthy people tend to be more productive? Laughter contributes greatly to mental and physical health. Laughter improves circulation, stabilizes blood pressure, and changes the body's chemistry. Encouraging humour in the workplace creates a fun atmosphere. It relaxes mental tension and, ultimately, allows employees to focus more intently on their work. How can I effectively incorporate humour into my workplace?
Using humour does not mean you have to be a stand-up comedian. It doesn't mean you have to have people laughing all day or be telling jokes every time you see them. Many people fear using humour in the workplace because they are afraid of encouraging a lazy attitude or a lack of focus on important work. They think it will take away from the productivity, if the workplace is fun. But, worry no longer. It is possible to create an enjoyable place to work without losing credibility. Just remember that humour is like seasoning. If you put too much in your soup, you can’t swallow it. Just a sprinkle and it is delicious. As a manager or leader, you have influence over your work environment. If you are responsible for hiring new staff, ask candidates if they like to have fun. Ask them how they might use humour on the job. Look for positive attitudes in potential employees. Successful companies hire people for attitude and then, teach them the skills.As a manager, you can also add humour to meetings, presentations, newsletters, emails, and bulletin boards. The more fun you add, the more your staff will want to be there. Here are some simple ways to add humour to your workplace: • Use a light, playful tone when writing memos. Your memos may be the only ones that get read all the way through! • A little self-deprecating humour can do wonders. Say, "I don’t make stupid mistakes. Only really, really clever ones.” Don’t say, "Oops". Say, "Hmm... now, that is interesting.” • Keep a file of the funny things you find. Then, if you need something humorous for a presentation or meeting, you have a ready resource file. • During the next staff meeting, stand up and say, "I have forgotten to bring my lunch today and I want a standing ovation." • Page yourself over the intercom. Don’t disguise your voice • Designate a bulletin board as the humour board and post it in an area where employees gather. Encourage people to submit cartoons, jokes, and other funny items for consideration for posting. • On a piece of toilet paper, write a list of all the people who have angered you. At the end of the week, flush it down the toilet. To end, I want to share my favourite humour tool for the workplace --- a red clown nose. I have often put it on during a tense situation. The ensuing laughter relieves the tension and offers a break in the stress. Rather than losing focus, we regain it. Often times, great creativity and problem-solving flows out of the laughter.
For an answer to that question, read this sign which appeared in an Optometrist's Office: “If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place.”
How about this sign, which appeared at a passport office: "If you feel as bad as you look in your passport picture, you are too sick to travel." Common sense tells us why humour should be part of your workplace. Humour is good. Work stress can be bad. Humour makes stress seem not so bad. There are also lots of studies, which support the need for humour in the workplace. Dr. William Fry, from Stanford University, found that 20 seconds of intense laughter, even if it is faked, can double the heart rate for three to five minutes. It would take three minutes of strenuous rowing to do the same thing. I don't know about you but I would pick the laughter over the rowing any time. Dr. David J Abramis, a psychologist at the California State University's School of Business Administration, in Long Beach, studied 341 workers and found that those, who had the most fun at their jobs, were likely to be the most productive. Humour distracts us from the stresses in our day. Injecting a bit of humour is like pushing the reset button. It's like stepping back to catch your breath ---- only you follow through with a good guffaw. Think of the times when you had fun at work. Was humour not present? When humour is sucked out of a situation, out goes the fun. Are you really surprised when you read that healthy people tend to be more productive? Laughter contributes greatly to mental and physical health. Laughter improves circulation, stabilizes blood pressure, and changes the body's chemistry. Encouraging humour in the workplace creates a fun atmosphere. It relaxes mental tension and, ultimately, allows employees to focus more intently on their work. How can I effectively incorporate humour into my workplace?
Using humour does not mean you have to be a stand-up comedian. It doesn't mean you have to have people laughing all day or be telling jokes every time you see them. Many people fear using humour in the workplace because they are afraid of encouraging a lazy attitude or a lack of focus on important work. They think it will take away from the productivity, if the workplace is fun. But, worry no longer. It is possible to create an enjoyable place to work without losing credibility. Just remember that humour is like seasoning. If you put too much in your soup, you can’t swallow it. Just a sprinkle and it is delicious. As a manager or leader, you have influence over your work environment. If you are responsible for hiring new staff, ask candidates if they like to have fun. Ask them how they might use humour on the job. Look for positive attitudes in potential employees. Successful companies hire people for attitude and then, teach them the skills.As a manager, you can also add humour to meetings, presentations, newsletters, emails, and bulletin boards. The more fun you add, the more your staff will want to be there. Here are some simple ways to add humour to your workplace: • Use a light, playful tone when writing memos. Your memos may be the only ones that get read all the way through! • A little self-deprecating humour can do wonders. Say, "I don’t make stupid mistakes. Only really, really clever ones.” Don’t say, "Oops". Say, "Hmm... now, that is interesting.” • Keep a file of the funny things you find. Then, if you need something humorous for a presentation or meeting, you have a ready resource file. • During the next staff meeting, stand up and say, "I have forgotten to bring my lunch today and I want a standing ovation." • Page yourself over the intercom. Don’t disguise your voice • Designate a bulletin board as the humour board and post it in an area where employees gather. Encourage people to submit cartoons, jokes, and other funny items for consideration for posting. • On a piece of toilet paper, write a list of all the people who have angered you. At the end of the week, flush it down the toilet. To end, I want to share my favourite humour tool for the workplace --- a red clown nose. I have often put it on during a tense situation. The ensuing laughter relieves the tension and offers a break in the stress. Rather than losing focus, we regain it. Often times, great creativity and problem-solving flows out of the laughter.
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