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Benefits Of Laughter In The Workplace

Chukwuemeka Eze
24th May, 2019

“Laughter is wine for the soul - soft, or loud and deep, tinged through with seriousness - the hilarious declaration made by man that life is worth living.” - Sean O'Casey.

From the above words, one can deduce that laughter in any of its forms, does a lot of good in the workplace which is an arena typically characterized by cut-throat pressure, workloads long overdue for delivery, gut-rending financial targets, disgruntled employees, and unforgiving employers.

Most of the upwardly-mobile and technology-based workplaces today understand the dire need for a cordial, relaxed, and harmonious environment for doing business and have taken appreciable steps towards making their workplaces a home away from home - where their employees and customers can laugh away all the work-related pressure.

These steps are all geared towards therapeutic influences that will make everyone in the workplace derive the immense benefits that come from merry hearts and that translate to optimum performance and general good health.

Several studies have been able to identify the role played by humor in office environments. According to the HBR article by Alison Beard titled, “Leading with Humor,” every guffaw or chuckle brings a lot of benefits in business.

In the same light, Alison Wood Brooks, professor at Harvard Business School, opines that people that crack jokes at work seem to be more competent.

The Mayo Clinic states that laughter enhances oxygen-rich air intake which in turn stimulates the release of ‘feel good' hormones – endorphins, in the brain. It equally states that laughter can enhance the circulation of blood, aid relaxation of the muscles, and ultimately mitigate some physical symptoms of workplace stress.

It is inarguably true that when employees work in a relaxed atmosphere and environment, such workplace vices like absenteeism, lackadaisical attitude to work, redundancy, and unnecessary downtimes are curbed; which translate to overall productivity and satisfaction, both for the employer, employees, and customers.

It is trite to highlight some of the benefits of laughter in the workplace and thus show how it is businesses’ best medicine. They include:

1. Laughter reduces executive stress and thus boosts immunity
Scientifically, when one laughs, more oxygen is sent to the body cells as the muscles contract and increase the flow of blood. These activities will in turn stimulate the secretion of white blood cells that are the body’s protector armies against many diseases including cancers.

2. Increases productivity
A group of researchers have opined that employees are 10% more productive than their counterparts after seeing a comedy clip.

3. Creates a resilient workforce
Laughter in the workplace creates a workforce that can continue pushing forward, ever strong, despite negative outcomes and business-oriented challenges.

4. Prevents depression
In contemporary times, depression in the workplace counts as one of the leading causes of unproductivity and job dissatisfaction all over the world. Laughter in its many forms, helps curb this serious workplace threat.

How To Enhance Laughter In The Workplace
Making employers, employees, and customers laugh and thoroughly enjoy the workplace is not rocket science! The following steps can be of help:

• Insert a comedy clip
Utmost care should be exercised in this regard so as not to create unnecessary distractions and thus achieving one result at the expense of another.

• Adopt an open-hall office design
Most modern workplaces currently adopt this design which allows for interaction among colleagues as different from the former secluded designs where employees are ‘boxed up' to face their ‘challenges’ alone.

• Share out funny books
These can be placed in the reception or relaxation areas where employees can access them especially during break times.

• Periodically invite therapists
These may include stand-up comedians, laughing-yoga practitioners, and other such therapists to occasionally administer doses of laughter on all and sundry.

In conclusion, it is trite to note that top-rated entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies all over the world spare no expense to keep their workforce happy as a happy workforce is an active workforce.



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Balogun425:
Hmmmm

What's your verdict please?