Old style managers were trained that if an employee was too happy at work, the employee must be goofing off and not working. A manager's job was to make an employee's work life tough, and to prevent an employee from goofing off while at work. If the job itself was not difficult enough, the manager could make an employee's work life more difficult by frequently changing vacation time policy, forgetting to send in an employee's changes to their health plan, and by misplacing their timecard. New style managers have embraced the concept that work and fun are no longer contradictions. An employee who laughs, has fun, and maintains a playful attitude at work is a happy employee.
Happy employees tend to be more energetic, productive, and have an outlet for stress and tension.
Also, happy employees build morale in themselves and other employees. Laughter, fun, and playfulness are contagious. Companies and organizations benefit from happy employees who laugh, have fun, and are playful on the job because happy employees are less likely to be absent, tend to be more creative, and are less likely to quit. And if your company has its employees working in teams, humor is essential to promoting team bonding, team trust, and team participation. Neither my brother nor any of my relatives work for the company, and I do not own stock in the company.