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I’m clearly here to talk about humor in the workplace and
why we need it, must have it, will shrivel and die if
we don’t. And, I’m here to make the “case” that Humor/Fun
in the Workplace is absolutely, uncontrovertibly necessary
for all workplaces that truly want to succeed… because,
afterall…. LAUGHING MATTERS!
What it’s really all about is … creating an environment
that is "safe" and fulfilling for people to work in. It's
about creating the culture that invites honesty, loyalty,
integrity, comfort, satisfaction and fosters "happiness"
at work. When a company creates this kind of culture,
their retention rate rises dramatically!
Here’s what you’ll
see:
- All the employees contribute to the productivity of
the company.
- Everyone will be loyal, because they know they
are a valued and cherished part of the team.
- People will be more creative and show more motivation.
- Employees will look forward to rising each morning,
facing the day with enthusiasm and pitching in wholeheartedly.
- Employees will be “happy”, which translates to happy
customers.
Now, perhaps you have never quite thought of happiness
as a desired characteristic for your employees; but if
I told you that happy employees are more productive employees,
would that be of interest to you? And, if I told you that
a FUN and playful work environment boosts loyalty and
performance, would that peak
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your interest even more? The obvious answer… “Yes,
I’d love to know more about that!”
There is an underlying assumption that humor, laughter
or a playful attitude on the job will be viewed negatively
in most corporations. When you talk to employees (both
management and non-management) in private about this,
they almost always say that they have to be careful
about letting their sense of humor show on the job.
Both employees and management fear that people will
feel they’re being unprofessional, and that they’re
incompetent, not taking their job seriously, etc. And,
often, management makes the assumption that being playful
or having fun means less productivity.
I strongly disagree, especially about the productivity
point. Consider the following:
If you take a break and have some lighthearted conversation
or listen to or read something funny, do you think you’ll
come back more or less refreshed? The obvious answer
is MORE. And, if you’re more refreshed, do you think
you’ll be more or less productive? The answer again
is MORE…. More productive!
Lighthearted meetings, terrific break rooms, celebrations,
awards, contests. These are just a few of the areas
that are ripe for fun activities. Start by establishing
a “fun committee” and then let em rip! I promise… the
pay off will be much greater than you imagined and watch
your productivity soar. And, most important,,, listen
for the laughter in the hallways. It’ll be a happy place
and people will be beating the doors down to work there!
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