What is the most common thing heard by HR managers when someone leaves a company or retires during an exit interview?
“I’ll miss the people the most.”
Think about the jobs you’ve had over your life. Which ones left you saying that on your way out, and why? Odds are because you were having fun and laughing.
According to a 2013 Gallup report, the average person laughs significantly less on weekdays than we do on weekends. For many, work is just not a fun place. It’s too bad because there is a wealth of data that suggests if humor can be injected into a workplace, it increases productivity, creativity and overall enjoyment of the job.
A 2009 Northwestern University study showed that employees, after watching a funny online video, were much quicker to solve problems with deeper insights than those employees who watched a serious video with negative information.
An analysis of positive humor in the workplace, commissioned by Emerald Insight in 2012 and conducted by the University of North Carolina reached the conclusion: “Results suggest employee humor is associated with enhanced work performance, satisfaction, workgroup cohesion, health, and coping effectiveness, as well as decreased burnout, stress, and work withdrawal.” Boom!
If you’re not funny, don’t try
Humor can be a tightrope, though, and those who fall off can fall hard. A London Business School survey found that although employees appreciate leaders who can use humor effectively, respect is lost for those who try and fail to be funny.
It’s also very important to read the room and understand the audience. For instance, there is almost no humor in any Japanese workplace. Trying to lighten the mood with Japanese clients is going to fall short.
It goes without saying that there are various forms of humor that are not appropriate for the workplace (and really, most of life) including bathroom, homophobic, sexist, political, religious, xenophobic and simply malicious. If you have to look around and see who is going to hear one of your “funny” comments, lest you get in trouble, it’s probably better to keep it to yourself.
5 Types of Acceptable Office Humor
If you’re going to be the person who tries to get people laughing, here are a few kinds of humor that are suitable for the office:
Situationally Relatable: Did you ever wonder why shows like Seinfeld, Friends or Cheers stayed on television for so long and live forever in reruns? The audience can relate to their “everyman” lives. Jokes are funny when everybody can understand and relate.
Non Sequiturs: Good for diffusing tension or helping move the conversation along, coming out of left field with a statement or conclusion that doesn’t logically follow from the last thing said is sometimes just what is needed to get everybody back to a productive place.
Wordplay: Everybody loves a good pun, even those who groan at them. Of course, don’t be the person who drops a dozen into every conversation. Go for quality, not quantity.
Self-Deprecating: Everybody likes a person, especially a leader, who can laugh at themselves. Just be careful not to make it sound like you think you’re a loser. That turns people away and makes them feel uncomfortable.
Sarcasm: There are people who are good at pulling off sarcasm for humor’s sake and others who just sound like Debbie Downers. If you’re unsure your sarcasm is coming off as humor, leave it to the others.
If you find yourself in a leadership role and you’re ready to improve, I’m prepared to listen. Contact me to schedule a conversation that could change the way you’ve been leading others here: http://maricarmenpizarro.com/contact-mari-carmen/
