Humour is good for health and even more. Bringing humour to the professional sphere can have good benefits. It influences the well-being and productivity of employees as well as the operation of companies.
In recent years, several studies have demonstrated the benefits of humour at work. One of them, conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina and the International University of Florida, has highlighted that it acts on several fronts: employee performance, reducing their stress and the risk of burnout. It similarly contributes to building team cohesion since it creates common references between members that remind them that they are all part of a single group. In addition, people who laugh together, work better together.
Humour for bonding
Humour can also be relevant in learning situations. Employees of a company who were presented the results of a report through a play said they preferred this method by far than all others. In addition, employees are much more open minded, more creative and more willing to experiment when they make use of humour. Human resources managers who wish to introduce it into the business can use videos, drawings or comics. However, the approach must be adapted to the business, since humour is not approached in the same way in a consulting firm as in a construction company.
A tool for managing
Humour can be especially useful for managers. A study led by the Bocconi University in Milan established that the most motivated managers were those who wielded humour. So humour contributes to boosting a manager’s leadership. It can also help to reinforce his relationships with employees. If he is wrong, he will admit it more easily with the members of his staff by using self-mockery. It can also be lifesaving in some delicate situations. Jokes can help reduce tensions when employees struggle to verbalize things in difficult circumstances. In the end it can help see problems with greater perspective and a fresh view and facilitate adaptation to change.