Humor at work for managers: is it serious now?
Apr 21, 2021
5 mins
Journalist
Using humor at work can help to make time fly, ease tensions and create a more supportive atmosphere, but you have to be careful how you use it.
A classic sketch from the Monty Python comedy team revolves around a joke so funny that anyone hearing it dies laughing. (Literally!) First, the author of the joke, Ernest Scribbler, keels over in convulsions. Then his mother dies, followed by the policemen sent to investigate. The government spots an opportunity and works out how to harness the power of this one joke and use it as a weapon.
What is the joke? We are never told, but the sketch is a clever reminder that humor has tremendous power. The question is: can a manager use it to their advantage or is it just too dangerous? While you probably wonât die laughing, it pays to give consideration to how you use humor in the age of cancel culture.
âItâs not always appropriate and can sometimes harbor sloppiness and even discomfort if itâs used too much. At the right moments it can significantly lift the morale of an office and workforce, to the benefit of a businessâs performance.â - Haskins
What is different now
Our perception of humor has changed over the past few years, according to Ollie Haskins, the head of HR at Bequest.com, a life assurance broker based in London. âWhat may have been meant as a light-hearted joke three or four years ago, is now being re-evaluated, analyzed, and more deeply understood as to how it made people feel at the time,â he said, adding that people are considering again how their words and actions affected others. Jay Leno, the American talk show host, recently apologized for years of making jokes based on stereotypes about Asian-Americans in public. Haskins said: âIâve seen people reach out and apologize for making mistakes in the past, who are now actively seeking out understanding or education on racism, sexism, and bias.â
What behavior is welcome at work?
Getting the balance right is key when it comes to humor, according to Cas Paton, the chief executive of OnBuy.com, an online marketplace with offices in Dorset. âItâs not always appropriate and can sometimes harbor sloppiness and even discomfort if itâs used too much,â he said. âI do however think that at the right moments it can significantly lift the morale of an office and workforce, to the benefit of a businessâs performance.â
At Onbuy.com, the preference is to add fun through activities, rather than jokes. âFor many employees, group work can be daunting and draining so a little bit of humor can help to relax and enable participants to feel more comfortable,â said Paton. âThis allows them to co-operate more easily among each other, generating more engagement and by extension successes in and even after the meeting has ended.â
Thatâs a popular approach at Bequest.com too. âHumor is not, and should not, be about teasing colleagues or telling drab jokes,â said Haskins, âbut more about the times where we can let go, enjoy ourselves and share stories weâre comfortable with. We create a time and a place for humor within our daily work lives, where we can relax and enjoy ourselves as a team.â Bequest.com does that through light-hearted events and dedicated non-work time. âWe have shared a team lunch every Wednesday during the lockdown, where we donât talk about work at all,â said Haskins. âEvery Friday . . . we wrap up with a round of games. Weâve played Codenames, Among Us, Kahoot! and quizzes.â
âHumor is not, and should not, be about teasing colleagues or telling drab jokes.â - Haskins
The role of laughter
Taking humor seriously is increasingly popular in business, according to Michael Kerr, author of The Humor Advantage. âWhen managers embrace a sense of humor, they help set the tone for the entire workplace environment,â said Kerr. âThey become more approachable and are more trusted. It helps them to build relationships, break down barriers, communicate more effectively and, of course, manage the stress of their jobs.â
A survey by Robert Half, an international recruiter based in California, shows that almost 80% of chief financial officers believe an employeeâs sense of humor plays an important role in how well they fit in with the companyâs corporate culture. âGiven the role humor can play in defusing serious situations or breaking the tension in serious conversations, there are very few times when it should be considered off-limits,â said Kerr. Never, for example, poke fun at skills that are essential to the job.
He also advises maintaining a sombre demeanor in serious situations, such as when announcing layoffs, or if there is a danger the humor will be viewed as being at someone elseâs expense. âAs a manager, you have the power, so when you use humor that pokes fun at your underlings, it can seriously backfire,â Kerr said.
Learn to laugh at the things you have no control over at work and, especially as a leader, at yourselfâwithout playing the clown. âThe answer is to be self-deprecating and poke fun at yourself. . . Being able to laugh when you make a mistake, or joke about your receding hairline can go a long way. It helps humanize you and build relationships at work. It is a sign of confidence, whereas mean-spirited humor is a sign of weakness,â said Kerry.
Haskins agrees. âKeep it respectful. Humor that harms, degrades, or makes fun of an individual, is never funny and should always be called out,â he said. Itâs important to have these conversations and to hold ourselves and others accountable for our words and actions said Haskins: âThis doesnât mean we have to stop using humor at work but make sure we check ourselves before making comments that we perceive to be funny, as they could be harmful.â
âAs a manager, you have the power, so when you use humor that pokes fun at your underlings, it can seriously backfire.â - Kerr
How to get the right kind of laughs
With that in mind, here are a few simple guidelines that can help you let your wit shine through at work without stepping on any toes.
In meetings: Lighten the tone and open up communication by sharing a funny story of something that happened to you or an embarrassing story of something that happened at work and what you learned from it, said Kerr. âYour meetings are important touch points that should reflect the culture you want to create at work,â said Kerr. Haskins agrees: âYou donât always have to hog the limelight on those Zoom calls. Allow others the chance to speak and contribute to a wider discussion. Peopleâs varied experiences often lead to the funniest moments, so give them the space and respect to share those.â
In emails: When communicating with your staff, add some humor to your emails. Or as the chief executive of Beryl Health Call Centres in the US does, add some humor in a weekly video message. âPaul Spiegelman, Berylâs chief executive, even though heâs a self-described shy introvert, will wear funny wigs on his weekly video message to employees, or answer funny questions he gets from them,â said Kerr.
At events: Lead by example and be the first person to put yourself out there at any company socials, retreats or meetings where there are activities. Put your hand up âwhen someone is asking for volunteers for an improv skit, or someone wants to use funny photos of employees in a PowerPoint presentationâ, said Kerr.
When the boss is up for a few laughs at work, it can help everyone to enjoy their jobs more, especially when done sensitively. âIf you create an environment based on mutual respect within the team, and create an outlet for fun,â said Haskins, âyou can all share at least a laugh a day.â Given the times in which we are living, thatâs an attractive proposition.
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