“How does the Ocean say Hi?” or “A tree you can hold in your hand” are you quizzed with these fun question by that one colleague at office everyday , who is trying to spread humour and laughter around? But do you tend to neglect them given the stress of your workload? Then the phrase ‘all work no play makes Jack a dull boy’ sits very well here. Just like work is important, similarly, joy, humour, happiness and laughter are equally important in a workplace. This World Laughter Day, we explore why it’s time to do way with negligence towards workplace humour and how to spread laughter all around!
“Where is the time to laugh around during work and why?” If this is the primary question running in your head, then maybe the answer to this is laughter is the need you did not realise was required until now. It helps in breaking the ice and forming a team bond which establishes certain boundaries of comfort among co-workers.
Not only does it improve teamwork and smooth communication; it also creates a jolly and positive ambiance to work in, express one’s opinions and relaxes the mind. A calm mind is the house of creativity. Laughter and humour also boosts the morale and helps silently in bettering the state of your mental health. And most importantly, builds trust among colleagues, a quality which is immensely disappearing in today’s workplaces.
Five strategies to incorporate laughter in team space
A team is as the leader is
The precedence of intentionally yet appropriately introducing humour in a workplace should come from the leader. Though it should be light hearted in nature, there should exist some boundaries with professionally appropriate jokes.
Using humour to understand the team
You enter the office and the team bulletin with the ‘Meme of the Day’ or ‘Joke of the Day’ stares back at you. Would that not bring a smile to your faces, which, with time, will turn into laughter? From welcoming new entrants with ice-breaking laughter games to celebrating birthdays and milestones with slight roasts, it can do a lot of good to bring the team closer.
Share Humour
Encourage co-workers and colleagues to also take part and share jokes, memes, cartoons, GIFs and more. In fact, these help in nurturing a creative mind and you never know which joke or GIFs give you a creative push. If you have a newsletter, keep a column for satire or comedy which can be written by the employees in turn. This way they would be able to express their humour and feel good about the fact that it is being read by others. You can also streamline humour according to important days of the year like Mother’s Day or Earth Day etc.
Start your own LED (Laughter Enabling Drama) Talks
You have seen TED talks now see LED talks! Prepare a short script, take the empty bottle near your hand, use it as a microphone and make your audience, which is your team, want to ROFL. Maybe you would discover a funnier side about yourself that you did not know existed, or the world’s next famous stand-up comedian is sitting in the next cubicle.
Ensure psychological safety
While laughter is immensely important, maintaining the boundaries should also be paid attention to. Humour should be natural and not forced. It should not hurt people’s sentiments but rather make them feel safe. It should not be overdone or target individuals. Using it as a tool to target individuals crosses the line from laughter to bullying; and overdoing it derails productivity and instills fear rather than the opposite which is the main motive of introducing humour.
So next time you meet a colleague you can “wave” them a joke, for the Ocean says a Hi by waving!