Promote Humour in The Workplace

By Barbara Bartlein

Nothing makes work more enjoyable than laughter. Recent studies on efficiency demonstrate that work environments, which promote humour have better productivity, increased employee retention, and less sick time. Some benefits of humour:

• It makes work fun. When people enjoy what they’re doing, they have increased energy, creativity, and enthusiasm. Good humour tends to become contagious (remember laughing until midnight with old friends?).
  
  
• It helps people trust you. People like happy people. When employees see you take problems in stride, they are much more likely to trust you with disappointing information or challenges. This is the news, of course, that management most needs to hear.
  
  
• It brings your team together. Laughter promotes camaraderie because it is universal. It bonds people together with workplace jokes and stories.
  
  
• It offers perspective and balance. Humour is especially effective when things are not going so well or when employees are frustrated. Looking for the humour in a situation breaks the tension and helps all know that “it could be worse.”
  

AND MOST IMPORTANT: LAUGHTER IS NOT FATTENING!

Some ideas to laugh about at the next meeting:

• Play Prairie Dog. This, of course, refers to the habit of “cubies” to look over the top of the cubicle when there is a loud noise of commotion. Create a signal and see who can emerge the quickest.
  
  
• Put your garbage can on your desk and label it “IN.” Make it clear that there is no other option for people to forward work to you.
  
  
• Find out where your boss shops and buy exactly the same outfits. Always wear them one day after your boss does. (This is especially effective if your boss is the opposite gender.)
  
  
• Skip, rather than walk. Make it clear that you are a person of purpose and eager to get to your next appointment.
  
  
• Page yourself over the intercom. Do not disguise your voice, but be quite clear that it is urgent.
  
  
• Send e-mail messages that advertise free pizza, doughnuts, etc. in the breakroom. When people complain that there was nothing there, lean back, rub your stomach, and say, “You’ve got to be faster than that.”
  

As Tom Bodett says, “The difference between an optimist and a pessimist? An optimist laughs to forget, but a pessimist forgets to laugh.”

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Barbara Bartlein is the PeoplePro™. She helps businesses sell more goods and services by developing people. She can be reached at 888-747-9953, by email at: barb@barbbartlein.com or visit her Web site at www.ThePeoplePro.com.

Published in Networking Today, March 2002.