Getting Serious About Workplace Humor

“Humor has a place in almost every work environment,” says Martha Craumer in Getting Serious About Workplace Humor, an artice in a Harvard Managment Communication Letter I found from 2002.  The article explores some of the key advantages to office humor.

Some of the highlights from the article:

• “‘People who use [humor], particularly in stressful or seemingly one-down positions, are viewed as being on top of top of things, being in charge and in control, whether they are in fact or not.’” (page 3)
• “Humor accomplishes three main goals: releases tension, creates a sense of acceptance, and restores a healthy perspective on a given situation.” (page 3)
• “You don’t have to be the source of the humor–just create the conditions in which humor can flourish.” (page 3)
• “‘Good feelings tend to spread and create a place where people want to work,’ says [David] Granier [a psychotherapist, consultant, and stand-up comic]. ‘That’s worth a lot in terms of fewer sick days, lower stress, greater productivity, and higher profits.’” (page 4)

Source: Getting Serious About Workplace Humor by Martha Craumer.  Harvard Communication Letter, July 2002.

Tagged as: health, humor research, leadership, productivity, stress-relief

More Humor:

1. Humor in the Workplace: A Communication Challenge
2. Uses and Abuses of Humor in the Office
3. 6 Myths of Using Humor in the Workplace
4. No Joke! The Workplace Needs a Good Laugh
5. Let the Good Times Roll: Building a Fun Culture