People need humor in their jobs. You don’t want to be stuck at a job you hate, but you also don’t want your days to drag by and feel like they’re never going to end. One way to make your workdays more enjoyable is by injecting humor into the workplace. It doesn’t have to be all the time, just when it’s appropriate. When a natural comedian who knows the right time and place for jokes enters the workplace, you can be sure that their coworkers will be entertained and motivated throughout the day.
1. Reduced office stress.
Humor in the workplace has been shown to help alleviate stress and anxiety. Studies have shown that when people use humor, their levels of anxiety and stress decrease. This is good news for both employees and employers: Decreased stress means you’re healthier, and it also means your productivity will increase because you won’t be dealing with all the associated stressors.
2. Better employee satisfaction
Employees who are able to show their personality at work tend to be happier than those who are too reserved. Obviously, some people are just naturally more outgoing or humorous than others, but if you think of it as a skill, you can learn how to embrace your personality and use it in positive ways at work. Don’t be afraid to let your coworkers see you as a person, not just an employee.
3. Improved relationships
Humor and laughter build strong relationships. When we laugh together with others, we find it easier to connect with them and make better impressions of each other. This is especially true when you’re working closely with someone over a long period of time. If you’re working together to complete a task or project, and you can naturally build camaraderie, that will help strengthen your team altogether.
4. Improved reputations
People love humor and people who make them laugh. If you work hard to be sure your coworkers are well entertained, they will remember you when it comes time for promotions and recommendations. If you make a strong impression on people in positive ways, they’re going to want to help you out when the next opportunity arises.
5. More motivation
A funny coworker can motivate you in a number of ways. First, you’ll have a positive person by your side to help keep you motivated and upbeat throughout the workday. Second, you might learn from him or her, as he or she tries out jokes and techniques on you. And third, if this is your natural personality type, then laughter is proven to give you a boost of motivation because it triggers the release of endorphins in your body.
6. Improving your own communication skills
One thing that can be very hard to do is to communicate humor through text, chat or email. If you’re not good at communicating with humor, then take time to hone this skill because it will be an important part of your life if you plan on advancing professionally. You don’t want to be the only serious person at a party, right?
7. Improved chances of getting hired by another company
In many jobs today, “culture fit” is becoming more and more important as companies look for ways to grow their brands authentically. Having a strong sense of humor and embracing who you are as a person at work is going to help you fit in and be appreciated more easily.
8. Being set apart from the competition
There’s nothing worse than interviewing someone who takes themselves too seriously. If they can’t make a joke about their past experiences or mistakes, then you know they’re probably not going to be able to handle the same issues if they come up in another job either. The best job applicants are those that have a strong sense of who they are and aren’t afraid to let that shine through in the interview process.
9. A fun and engaging workplace
When you’re having fun at work, most likely your coworkers are too. What’s not to like about smiling faces and laughing all day long? If your company embraces this mindset, then it’s going to be a much better place to work. A positive, fun workplace attracts more talent and paves the way for growth in the future.
10. The light during times of crisis
We’ve all had bad days at work where everything seems to be going wrong. The good news is that when they do, your humorous coworkers will help you keep them at bay because they’ll be the ones cheering you up and making everything seem less serious.
Having a sense of humor in the workplace is important for many reasons. Humor can be used to build better relationships with coworkers, improve your reputation and make you stand out from other candidates when looking for employment opportunities. If you’re struggling to find ways to use humor at work or if it’s not really who you are then don’t worry! There are plenty of benefits that come along with being humorous as well so take some time to think about what would be effective for yourself and how best to implement these techniques into your own professional life.
