Break the Tension at Work with a Bit of Humor
By: Madison Estrella
Tags: Workplace, Humor, Work, Relationships, Creativity

Break the Tension at Work with a Bit of Humor

In all seriousness, humor belongs in the workplace, too!

Photo by Jud Mackrill on Unsplash

There seems to be an unspoken rule about seriousness in the workplace that tends to suck the life out of employees– conversations are kept to a minimum, eyes glued to the screen all day, and absolutely no laughter heard. However, contrary to this belief that the workplace should be strictly professional, I think it’s safe to say that a little humor can earn its place in the office, too.

In fact, when it comes to working with others, humor is the best way to liven the mood while simultaneously boosting the morale of you and your team. With that being said, consider these eight benefits of bringing (appropriate) humor into your workplace:

1. Helps make Connections

One of the easiest ways to make friends and build connections is through humor! Humor helps make you and your coworkers more relaxed and comfortable with one another. Whether you share the same sense of humor or share a joke that opens doors to further conversation, sharing a laugh is oftentimes the best way to create bonds, even in the workplace.

2. Breaks Down Barriers

As previously mentioned, humor helps bring out the humanity in even your most daunting of superiors, making them feel much more approachable. If your humor is really that good, maybe you’ll be able to get a good laugh or two out of your boss, which can help you realize that they’ve got a good sense of humor just like you.

3. Makes Working More Fun

Humor helps demolish the quiet, dreary stereotype of the workplace by filling it with laughter and lively conversations. It can help make your days at work feel more enticing and exciting by giving you something to look forward to by replacing the old, monotonous workdays.

4. Relieves Stress

Feeling stressed out by work? Turns out laughter is a good natural stress reliever! Try making best out of your situation by using some humor to turn the workplace from your source of stress into an area where you can de-stress with a bit of laughter.

5. Creates a Relaxed Atmosphere

Slipping in a bit of humor into your workspace helps alleviate the tension in the room. It helps dissipate the expectation of pristine perfection and rectitude by replacing it with more slightly casual jokes and conversations.

6. Improves Customer Relations

Having some humor in the workplace and in how your workplace approaches customers helps strengthen relationships by making you, as the business, appear much more approachable and trustworthy. Don’t hesitate to foster some good relations with some good humor!

7. Sparks Creativity

With something as spontaneous as humor, it’s no wonder that humor helps foster the creative thinking process. When thinking of things in a lighthearted way, your brain has so many new avenues to explore when compared to banal, straightforward thinking.

8. Boosts Productivity

Taking into consideration all these benefits, having humor in the workplace does wonders for building a sense of community and thus, boosting productivity. Once we are able to feel comfortable and relaxed at work, we are able to work more freely, with less worries about judgement and less stress.

All in all, a lively office gives its workers the potential for growth and happiness. Yes, respect is part of the job, but don’t let that cage your friendly and funny nature. The more lively the office is, the more likely our happiness will improve as well so don’t be afraid to be friendly and funny, yet respectful at work!