A decent body of research exists proving that laughter is good for humans, but now Betty-Ann Heggie asserts that science supports multiple benefits particular to laughing inside of a company setting.
Her Harvard Business Review article claims that cracking jokes on the clock could not only improve your performance, but make you better liked in the process.
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A 2016 experiment found that employees who laughed at a funny video were 10% more productive than those workers who hadn’t seen it, says researcher Eugenio Proto.
“The broad message from the literature on the link between happiness and productivity is both positive and negative emotions have a potentially powerful economic effect.”
This should come as no surprise to bosses and managers everywhere – happy employees are employees who show up to work every day, who strive to do their best while there, and who help recruit more employees just like themselves. Even if the science is just coming in, conventional wisdom on the topic has resounded for years.
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Some companies even hire humor coaches to help relieve work stress and to encourage collaboration between co-workers.
Another, lesser known effect could also be found, according to another 2016 study – joking around could make you seem more competent (and who doesn’t need that?). Their experiments found that presenters who made jokes were perceived as “more competent, more confident, and higher in status.”
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You don’t want to go all full Michael Scott from The Office – keep your jokes appropriate, though “bad” as in “dad jokes” are okay – but making your coworkers laugh could do everyone a bit of good.
The bosses will definitely thank you!
