Humor at the workplace doesn’t get its due importance as it can seem frivolous. However, it can spread positivity and boost creativity, aiding productivity. In the DEI context, it is crucial to make workplaces inclusive.
Two Stanford University researchers, Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas, in their book ‘Humor Seriously’ report a rather startling finding that while an average 4-year-old laughs around 300 times a day, an average 40-year-old laughs thrice a day. And the swing towards the other side of laughter is not very gradual as one would expect. A 2013 Gallop Study asked 1.4 million people across 166 countries: Did you smile or laugh a lot yesterday?
For those between 16 and 23, the answer is yes. After the age of 23, the answer becomes no. We do not start smiling again until the age of 70 or 80.
At the age of 23, there is a correlation between the average working age of the individual and humor. Humor is often seen as frivolous, silly, inconsequential, and certainly inconsistent with the serious nature of work. And this could be the precise reason why humor at the workplace has not received its due importance.
Humor and laughter are universal aspects of human experience, occurring in all cultures and virtually in all individuals. There is a dearth in the number of scientific studies that prove the positive impact of humor in the workplace, but some have shown why humor must be encouraged. Humor is advantageous as it reduces stress and boosts creativity, increasing job satisfaction. Humor is also beneficial for the team as it aids in cohesiveness and communication. Workplace humor is a clear business case as it increases productivity.
In the DEI context, humor management is a critical aspect of inclusive leadership. To foster participation, contribution, and belonging, managers, and leaders need to know about different types of humor. They could also devise ways to manage humor to create inclusion. Humor can be aggressive and used to dominate, channel prejudice, dehumanize, or ridicule. Alternatively, humor can be affiliative and nurture healthy relationships and cohesion in groups. Hence it becomes imperative for the leader to know when humor builds and when it destroys.
