Ten Things About Humor At Work

Tom had this problem of getting up late in the morning and was always late for work. His boss was mad at him and threatened to fire him if he didn't do something about it. So Tom went to his doctor who gave him a pill and told him to take it before he went to bed. Tom slept well and in fact beat the alarm in the morning. He had a leisurely breakfast and drove cheerfully to work. "Boss," he said, "The pill actually worked!"
"That's all fine" said the boss. "But where were you yesterday?"

Having cut my teeth in the high tension studio atmosphere of jokes, practical jokes and lighthearted humor, I'm a big supporter of having a laugh on the job. But like wearing funny hats and singing comedic opera, you can push anything too far. Common sense prevails.

Ten pros and cons of "making funny" in the workplace:
1) Humorous storytelling is a great way of making a point. Or rather, letting people make a point themselves. When you tell someone something directly, walls can go up. But couching it in a story with a laugh attached lets the listener (or reader) find the value of the message themselves.
2) Sarcasm can be misinterpreted as mean, or critical. And you're not really mean and don't really mean to be critical, right?
3) There is nothing better than hearing peals of laughter coming from an office where someone is talking to a client or a supplier. Laughter is a great relationship builder. And most of us benefit from great relationships with customers and clientele.
4) Inside jokes amongst co-workers when in the presence of visiting clients, can be divisive and seen as not taking your job (and therefore their work) seriously. Know when to turn it off.
5) You might think about avoiding humor regarding race, age, sexual orientation, physical disabilities, religion, ethnicity, gender, or weight. It may be fine away from work but in this age of political correctness can land you in serious waters without a life preserver. Oh, that reminds me. Add politics to that list.
6) Self-deprecating humor works. Being able to make fun of yourself is often a tension reliever and shows you are human. I find my own foibles a virtual goldmine of subject matter.
7) People sometimes have to be gently shown the power and strategic benefits of the addition of humor into the workplace. And some simply do not want to laugh. Leave well enough alone. Humor is not a prerequisite to good work.
8) Loudly delivered humor does not always get people to listen and can divert fellow worker's attention just when they're on the verge of working out an issue. Sometimes a quiet expression shared can bring a laugh.
9) Emailed laughs can lift a person's day. But seven emailed jokes in an hour can defeat the benefit.
10) Any humor that involves the dropping of one's pants is probably not a good idea. Unless they drop themselves, there is no nudity involved and you happen to be wearing heart decorated boxers. And this only works once.

They say laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. A shared chuckle, snicker or outright guffaw brings your mind and body back into balance. Humor is said to strengthen immune systems, boost energy, and protect from the damaging effects of stress. Survivors of Nazi concentration camps have attributed humor in helping in their survival.

To those who chose to avoid the lighthearted side of life at work in an effort to preserve a reputation as a serious professional, 20th century philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein said, “Never stay up on the barren heights of cleverness, but come down into the green valleys of silliness.”