Musings | Humor At Work
“Work is often a humorless endeavor . . . but levity can actually help us achieve [our] goals”
Shared laughter creates a feeling of closeness and trust – even among strangers. Laughter is good for us. It lowers stress, releases endorphins, helps us increase our emotional intelligence, and provides us with a hit of oxytocin (the love hormone). When we laugh and share laughter at work, we are more creative and more engaged in our work. Leaders that demonstrate even a moderate sense of humour are 27% more motivating and admired than leaders who don’t joke around at all.
So, if laughter and humour are so good for us, it makes sense that we all should try to insert a bit of wit into our workday. If this instills a feeling of panic, not a feeling of fun - do not fear; everyone is funny in their way, and we are not suggesting that you should aim to be a stand-up comedian. Funny is everywhere; it is just a matter of knowing your humour style and following some simple guidelines around bringing humour into your day (your workday or personal life). Besides, you don’t have to be funny to reap the benefits of laughter; the tips below include ways to find things to laugh at if making people laugh is not your forte.
Humour Styles
There are four different humour styles: Stand-Up, Sweetheart, Sniper, and Magnet. To learn more about each and to find out which is your dominant humour style, check out this short quiz (developed by behavioural scientist Jennifer Aaker and executive coach Naomi Bagdonas)
Finding Funny at Work and Home
Don’t try to be funny. Simply observe everyday experiences and be honest about what you see. Often, we see ourselves in the situations around us (note, these observations should be general and not call out specific people or the behaviours of specific people). Remember the cat lawyer? It is fair to say we all laughed at that video because it was real, relatable, and well, it was pretty funny!
Bad “Dad” jokes are ok; even terrible jokes in this category create a chuckle or a groan. Any attempt to lighten the mood at work is usually appreciated (provided it is not hurtful or offensive)
At home: Watch a funny YouTube video (if it is safe to share at work, share the video with your colleagues on a break or at the start of a meeting) or watch your favourite comedian.
If appropriate, create a fun or silly out-of-office reply or email signature. Check out this article for examples others have used.
Remember: All humour elements at work need to be safe for work and not offensive to others. Never poke fun at anyone’s identity, background, or personal characteristics
It may feel that there is magic to humour, but humour, like so many things, is a skill that can be developed. Sharing a laugh with colleagues or experiencing laughter on our own provides many benefits to us, including helping us connect with others and experiencing relief from stress.
For additional information about humour at work and adding more funny to your life, check out the sources and resources below.