“What do our year end reports tell us and where are those employee engagement survey results?” muttered the CEO.
“They’re here, boss, and I’m not sure you’re going to like to results”, his assistant answered meekly. “Sales are in the pits, absenteeism is at an all-time high, those that come to work aren’t engaged, everyone is stressed and there’s no cooperation between departments”.
Sound like a laughing matter? Perhaps it’s laughter that can turn this business around. The emotional climate within a company can account for as much as 30% of its performance according to Dan Hill, author of Emotionomics.
Emotional happiness contributes to higher job performance, increase levels of trust and contribute to more collaborative work relationships.
What about wellness at work? Science shows us that laughter reduces stress levels, strengthens the immune system and is a great workout for our lungs and heart. Laughter lowers our blood pressure. In fact, it is impossible to be stressed, depressed or anxious when you’re laughing.
Here are six steps you can take to make laughing matter in your organization and stimulate your business success:
- Starting laughing classes during work hours.
- Support employees who bring laughter to work.
- Recruit, hire and promote funny people, who are effective. Laughing is an intensely positive social emotion and it’s contagious.
- Encourage children to play and interact with employees during work hours. Children laugh 300-400 times a day while adults laugh only about 12-15 times a day.
- Reward people that bring humorous material to work. Jokes, stories, YouTube clips, funny videos are a great source for giggles or a good belly laugh.
- Bring in some top comedians as interim managers. Imagine what Jack Black, Margaret Cho, Florence Foresti, Whoopi Goldberg, Ricky Gervais, or Chris Rock could do with a department or division on an interim basis.
Laughter is good medicine. It reminds us to live (and laugh) in the present moment, not to take life too seriously and that work can sometimes feel like play. Make laughing matter in your organization or support someone who does.
Photo Image – Shutterstock 143609107