My first road trip was 40 miles over bush roads in a 1950’s Land Rover just after I had been born in Lusaka hospital in Zambia. These were very rugged off-road vehicles with two ratio gear boxes capable of dealing easily with the dust, potholes and sometimes mud of central Africa. I saw this sign recently “Don’t grow up just get bigger toys” on the back of one of its more modern successors, but still in the old style of Land Rover Defender (the newest ones are in my view just rebranded SUV’s, impressive and well-built but aimed more at the Home Counties than the veldt). It made me laugh and the sentiment struck a chord. I think maybe we have all become too serious in our professional lives, unable with the day-to-day pressures of always being “on” and thriving to succeed to see any lighter side to our work. I am told the latest generation entering our workforces are particularly serious and perhaps less able to relax with a drink down the local pub or wine bar – not least because many don’t drink. This is of course an admirable trait from a health perspective, but it does rather hamper one way of relaxing, especially when coupled with the ever-present phone addiction we are all prone to.
AI (which as far as I know has never exhibited any intrinsic propensity to a sense of humour – see its attempted joke below) suggests that “Humor in the workplace is an essential tool for building connections, reducing stress, and boosting productivity. When used appropriately, it creates a positive and engaging environment where employees feel comfortable, motivated, and more likely to collaborate effectively.” The benefits of humour in professional practices are:
Improved Communication and Relationships: Humor acts as a "social lubricant," reducing social distance and making individuals appear more approachable. Shared laughter can build trust and rapport, strengthening working relationships and team cohesion.
Enhanced Leadership and Credibility: Leaders who use appropriate humor are often perceived as more confident, competent, and effective, which can lead to increased employee engagement and job satisfaction.
Stress Relief and Well-being: Humor serves as a powerful coping mechanism, helping professionals manage stress, prevent burnout, and reframe difficult situations in a less overwhelming light.
Boosted Creativity and Problem-Solving: A humorous atmosphere can foster playfulness and psychological safety, encouraging divergent thinking, innovation, and the acceptance of new ideas.
Increased Persuasion and Learning: Incorporating humor into presentations or educational settings can capture attention, improve memory retention, and make messages more persuasive.
I did ask ChatGPT to “tell me a joke about lawyers” and it came up with “Why don’t lawyers go the beach? Because cats keep trying to bury them in the sand!” Do tell me why that is funny because I don’t get it.
Anyway see this Forbes article Laughter In Leadership: How Humor Enhances Workplace Performance which comments that “one powerful—and often overlooked—leadership tool is humor.” which “fosters creativity and innovation, helping teams think outside the box and solve problems more effectively”. It does sensibly counsel caution “understanding when and how to inject humor appropriately without disrupting professionalism.” concluding that “Mastering the use of humor in leadership is about striking the right balance—making the workplace enjoyable while maintaining professionalism and respect.”
It also refers to research which suggests humour enhances productivity. See this World Economic Forum article How Laughter in The Workplace Can Boost Confidence And Creativity which cites “two Stanford University academics who have examined the effects of laughter in the workplace and concluded it makes us better bosses and better employees.” Echoing my concern above it says of its global study “One of the things it found was that around the age of 23, people everywhere start to laugh less…..We don’t start laughing again until 70. So that’s 47 very serious years.” It observes “Studies have shown laughter can decrease stress hormones in the blood, as well as increase our “feel-good” chemicals, endorphins. It could even have a positive effect on the immune system.” There is even a book on the topic called Humour Seriously which says that “a recent survey of more than 700 CEOs showed that 98% prefer job candidates with a sense of humour, and 84% think that funny employees do better work.”
Having a sense of humour, and appreciating this in others, can also prevent us taking ourselves too seriously – an occupational hazard I suggest for dedicated hard working professionals. Of course, this can be taken too far, and we should not condone cruel or inappropriate jokes or teasing. And some may say laughter has no place in our serious work. I beg to differ and think if used properly it can enhance our interaction and work performance. See this article No Laughing Matter: Humour in Corporate Life which discusses this dilemma and suggests that “humour is the best way to break barriers” proposing “Adding humour if you are a manager or team member will make you more approachable, fallible and human.” It concludes that “while humour in corporate life may feel like a risky endeavour, it’s one worth pursuing…. a smile might just be the most valuable return on investment you’ll ever see.”
So, as we roll into the festive season, with all of its attendant and inevitable work and personal pressures, let’s enjoy the corny jokes in the Christmas crackers and try to have more of a laugh at work and at home. And continue playing like our children do - but with bigger toys.
“Humour is not about making work funny, but making work fun.” Andrew Tarvin an expert on humour in the workplace (I didn’t know there was such a thing!).
“If I can get you to laugh with me, you like me better, which makes you more open to my ideas.” John Cleese.
“A sense of humor is the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.” Dwight D. Eisenhower.
AI (which as far as I know has never exhibited any intrinsic propensity to a sense of humour – see its attempted joke below) suggests that “Humor in the workplace is an essential tool for building connections, reducing stress, and boosting productivity. When used appropriately, it creates a positive and engaging environment where employees feel comfortable, motivated, and more likely to collaborate effectively.” The benefits of humour in professional practices are:
Improved Communication and Relationships: Humor acts as a "social lubricant," reducing social distance and making individuals appear more approachable. Shared laughter can build trust and rapport, strengthening working relationships and team cohesion.
Enhanced Leadership and Credibility: Leaders who use appropriate humor are often perceived as more confident, competent, and effective, which can lead to increased employee engagement and job satisfaction.
Stress Relief and Well-being: Humor serves as a powerful coping mechanism, helping professionals manage stress, prevent burnout, and reframe difficult situations in a less overwhelming light.
Boosted Creativity and Problem-Solving: A humorous atmosphere can foster playfulness and psychological safety, encouraging divergent thinking, innovation, and the acceptance of new ideas.
Increased Persuasion and Learning: Incorporating humor into presentations or educational settings can capture attention, improve memory retention, and make messages more persuasive.
I did ask ChatGPT to “tell me a joke about lawyers” and it came up with “Why don’t lawyers go the beach? Because cats keep trying to bury them in the sand!” Do tell me why that is funny because I don’t get it.
Anyway see this Forbes article Laughter In Leadership: How Humor Enhances Workplace Performance which comments that “one powerful—and often overlooked—leadership tool is humor.” which “fosters creativity and innovation, helping teams think outside the box and solve problems more effectively”. It does sensibly counsel caution “understanding when and how to inject humor appropriately without disrupting professionalism.” concluding that “Mastering the use of humor in leadership is about striking the right balance—making the workplace enjoyable while maintaining professionalism and respect.”
It also refers to research which suggests humour enhances productivity. See this World Economic Forum article How Laughter in The Workplace Can Boost Confidence And Creativity which cites “two Stanford University academics who have examined the effects of laughter in the workplace and concluded it makes us better bosses and better employees.” Echoing my concern above it says of its global study “One of the things it found was that around the age of 23, people everywhere start to laugh less…..We don’t start laughing again until 70. So that’s 47 very serious years.” It observes “Studies have shown laughter can decrease stress hormones in the blood, as well as increase our “feel-good” chemicals, endorphins. It could even have a positive effect on the immune system.” There is even a book on the topic called Humour Seriously which says that “a recent survey of more than 700 CEOs showed that 98% prefer job candidates with a sense of humour, and 84% think that funny employees do better work.”
Having a sense of humour, and appreciating this in others, can also prevent us taking ourselves too seriously – an occupational hazard I suggest for dedicated hard working professionals. Of course, this can be taken too far, and we should not condone cruel or inappropriate jokes or teasing. And some may say laughter has no place in our serious work. I beg to differ and think if used properly it can enhance our interaction and work performance. See this article No Laughing Matter: Humour in Corporate Life which discusses this dilemma and suggests that “humour is the best way to break barriers” proposing “Adding humour if you are a manager or team member will make you more approachable, fallible and human.” It concludes that “while humour in corporate life may feel like a risky endeavour, it’s one worth pursuing…. a smile might just be the most valuable return on investment you’ll ever see.”
So, as we roll into the festive season, with all of its attendant and inevitable work and personal pressures, let’s enjoy the corny jokes in the Christmas crackers and try to have more of a laugh at work and at home. And continue playing like our children do - but with bigger toys.
“Humour is not about making work funny, but making work fun.” Andrew Tarvin an expert on humour in the workplace (I didn’t know there was such a thing!).
“If I can get you to laugh with me, you like me better, which makes you more open to my ideas.” John Cleese.
“A sense of humor is the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.” Dwight D. Eisenhower.
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