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Business is no laughing matter, right? That's the common wisdom. But, managers everywhere are discovering something else: Some lighthearted play at work can boost the bottom line. "Humor is a great management tool," says Jeff Slutsky, president of Street Fighter Marketing in Columbus, Ohio. "It's a critical technique for increasing employee morale, productivity and effectiveness in communication."
How so? For starters, Slutsky says, laughter can defuse tense or sensitive situations. It can relieve the stress that often drains energy and restrains productivity. And, it can help people feel less threatened about sharing their ideas, thus invigorating the creative process.
One more thing. Laughter can help employees retain information longer and apply it better. "It's been proven in studies that when a teacher uses humor four to five times an hour, the students like the teacher more, retain their knowledge longer and are more willing to do as they are told," says Allen Klein, president of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, Princeton, N.J. "Now, translate that to the workplace. The fact is that laughter helps people think more clearly and do better work." Humor is especially effective in reaching people who might not respond to standard management approaches.
Fun and Games
Suppose your own workplace is more gloom and doom than laughter and light. How can you encourage your employees to lighten up?
Before answering that, let's pause for a caveat: Some individuals may feel threatened by any overt attempt to introduce humor into their environment. "People get very nervous about the potential for politically incorrect and racist and sexist humor," warns Stuart Robertshaw, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Education at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Not only that, but the abstract concept of "humor" can be difficult for people to understand and cultivate in practical ways.
A much better approach, Robertshaw says, is to encourage your employees to engage in behaviors that represent humor: "Focus on laughter and joy and fun."
Start by establishing a "humor committee" of volunteers. "I teach managers to put people in small groups and ask one simple question: 'What activities would you suggest to increase joy and laughter in workplace?'" Robertshaw says. "To get the ball rolling, encourage group members to identify the parts of their jobs that make their work experiences less than positive. Than, find ways to use humor to lessen the negative impact of those activities."
Encouraging this kind of "group think" is smart for several reasons. First, people develop more effective ideas by brainstorming than by thinking alone. Second, individuals gain the courage to introduce outrageous ideas when they have peer support.
Your humor committee will be interested in knowing what has worked elsewhere, and Robertshaw offers two ideas that could work well in the typical hardwood flooring contracting company:
• Cartoon competition. Post a caption less cartoon on the company bulletin board each Monday morning. Throughout the week, people can submit captions in teams or individually. At the end of the week, the committee reviews the entries and awards the winner a dinner for two at a local restaurant.
• Ha Ha Board. Sometimes, little things help people lighten up during the day. Establish a bulletin board where people can post funny things.
By laughing together at these and other positive laughter-inducing activities, group members will learn an important lesson: Humor often is less about jokes and more about social interaction. Indeed, improving employee relationships and communications is one of the most productive results of a joyful workplace.
Man Overboard
Laughter's great, but make sure everyone stays within the bounds of good taste. "Early on, I'd make sure everyone knows the rules or guidelines of what they're not allowed to do," cautions Slutsky. "You can't encourage people to use humor, then reprimand them when it goes too far and still expect them to put a humorous effort forward."
And the rules are? First, be prudent. Too much humor can backfire. "There are many serious parts of business," says Slutsky. "A manager who uses humor all the time will eventually not be taken seriously. It works best when you pick and choose the most appropriate times to use humor."
Second, humor has to be of the positive kind. "No sexual, off-color or racial humor, under any circumstances," says Slutsky. "Even if someone is laughing on the outside, you still might have hurt their feelings. Plus, it can be illegal." Don't target other people for humor. "You should be the brunt of your jokes, not coworkers or customers," Slutsky adds.
A sense of humor is subjective, says Slutsky. And it's a tough thing to teach if someone doesn't have the knack. But, keeping vigilant watch and consulting with individuals who cross the line will keep things from getting out of hand.
Boss Clown
When it comes to job behavior, employees take cues from their bosses. Indeed,sourpuss supervisors are very often the cause of poor employee attitudes. "The shame is that managers usually shun laughter," says Steve Rizzo, a Wading River, N.Y.- based speaker and consultant who helps business organizations promote workplace humor. "They believe that employees who are laughing are not getting their work done. That's far from true."
Set the example for your employees by being an individual who uses productive, non-threatening humor. Klein suggests starting a meeting with a joke or a cartoon.
One final caveat. Avoid pressuring reluctant employees to hop aboard the laughter bandwagon. "Mandatory policies generally fail," says Robertshaw. "Don't make any fun activity a job requirement." The good news is that people who resist fun activities often come around over time.
The greatest benefit of humor, perhaps, is the improved morale that helps your employees work together more enthusiastically, deal more productively with customers and develop creative solutions to problems.
Finally, consider this bonus: Humor will help you and your employees deal with the inevitable crises that occur in business. "The most important thing in the workplace is how you cope with challenge," says Klein. "If you can find something to laugh about in a situation, you get a different perspective and do your job better. Humor can help you maintain balance when the going gets tough."
Laugh Lines
Check out these books to find out more about how humor has its place in your business operations.
• Becoming A Humor Being: The Power to Choose a Better Way. In this book, author Steve Rizzo discusses how to use humor in the most serious of life situations. Full Circle Publishing Company (2000). $19.95. For more information, visit www.steverizzo.com.
• Humor at Work. Authors Esther Blumenfeld and Lynne Alpern relate how humor can reduce stress, improve communication and create a more comfortable work environment. Atlanta: Peachtree Publishers (1993). $16.95.
• Laughing Nine to Five: The Quest for Humor in the Workplace. In this tome, author Clyde Fahlman tells how to promote workplace humor and use it to stimulate renewal and effectiveness. Portland, Ore.: Steelhead Press (1997). $12.71.