My old boss used to say “work isn’t supposed to be fun.” While I respected his dedication to proving his point each and every day, I never agreed with him.

Work is meant to be productive, and given employee engagement and wellbeing both impact on bottom-line results, it’s in everyone’s interest to have a laugh once in a while!

In most lines of work, good communication skills are important. For RTW professionals, these skills are essential. Among the various communication techniques, humour is arguably a communicator’s greatest weapon. Laughter is associated with physical and psychological benefits, and facilitates effective communication with others. Laughter really can be the best medicine.

Incorporating humour into your working life can be difficult. Humour is a subjective thing and for some of us, cracking gags doesn’t come naturally. The good news is that humour doesn’t need to be a 5 minute skit on what’s wrong with airline food. It can be anything that lifts someone’s spirits.  

GENERAL BENEFITS OF HUMOUR IN THE WORKPLACE

These days, the evidence supporting the benefits of laughter are less and more scientific. Put simply, humour can have a considerable impact on our physical and mental health, as well workplace culture and results.

Health Benefits

• Reduces stress – shifts focus away from anecdotal negative emotions like anger and anxiety toward positive ones. Studies have shown that laughter has a positive impact on blood pressure.  
• Reduces illness – laughter affects our immune systems. Research suggests that laughing induces higher activity in the body’s T-cells (our natural antibodies).  
• Reduces pain – laughter prompts our body to produce pain-killing hormones.  
• Relaxes muscles – a healthy bout of laughter relieves physical tension and stress, leaving muscles feeling more relaxed.

Organisational Benefits

• Assists with employee engagement and morale;
• Improves communication;
• Increases productivity ;
• Builds trust and relationships;
• Improves teamwork; and
• Reduces conflict.  

HOW HUMOUR CAN HELP INJURED WORKERS

Regaining perspective

Injuries typically involve stress. People dealing with injuries will often experience a great deal of frustration over not being able to do what they did before. But while their perspective may not change their physical situation, it can have a big impact on their mental wellbeing. Through humour, an injured worker can regain perspective on their situation and ease their stress. 

Aligning goals

Sharing a laugh with someone is an effective bonding tool. Even with the best of intentions it can sometimes to be difficult to demonstrate your care and concern to someone in a short space of time. Humour can allow you to develop trust and rapport faster than would otherwise be possible, putting the injured worker at ease and improving the chances of a positive outcome.

HOW HUMOUR CAN HELP YOU

Along with the health and wellbeing benefits listed above, incorporating a little humour into your day can help you do your job better. Becoming a more effective communicator

Research suggests that people often recall the emotional reaction they had to a conversation more than precisely than what was said. The tactful use of humour can help you make conversations more effective.

Obviously, you want someone to remember the important information you are telling them (make sure it’s clear), but by sharing a laugh with someone, you increase the chance that their ‘take home message’ will be a positive one.

Diffusing conflict and tension

Like every job, you will have to deal with people and situations that involve stress and tension. Sharing a laugh at the appropriate time can help diffuse that conflict and put everyone in the right frame of mind to resolve any issue, and address any problems at hand.  

Making you more productive

When we work for extended periods of time at intense levels of focus, our concentration invariably suffers. Without giving yourself a mental break you will find yourself in limbo - between focus and daydreaming. Enjoying a laugh acts as a refresher for your mind, allowing you to more efficiently re-dedicate yourself to the task at hand.

HOW TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT HUMOUR

1. Be selective – obviously there will be times when laughter will not be the best medicine. Use you common sense to establish whether humour is called for on a situation-by-situation basis.  
2. Be appropriate – make sure you’re aware of what is and what is not generally considered appropriate content in the office setting, and culturally as well. Avoid stereotypes, sexism, 'gallows-humour' or religious topics.  
3. Be simple – there’s no need for you to rehearse lengthy anecdotes in the car on the way to the office. Simple acts involving surprise or exaggeration are generally effective and inoffensive ways of getting a laugh or a smile.  
4. Be yourself – it’s best not to force the issue and go over the top. If you have a genuinely positive intention, your sense of humour will come through in even the most subtle of acts.

THE LAST LAUGH

Humour can have a powerful impact on the health and productivity of a workplace. While not everyone enjoys cracking jokes, you don’t need to be a comedian to make someone smile. A real difference can be made by choosing to look on the bright side of life. By putting yourself and those around you in a better mood than before, everyone grins, and everyone wins.