Humor at Work: The Superpower of Successful Teams

Not a Joke: Humor Increases Trust, Collaboration, and Creativity

HIGHLANDER/ Stocksy

In the fast-paced world of work, we often overlook the value of humor. Maybe it's because we tend to laugh less as we get older. According to Gallup, while a 4-year-old laughs around 300 times daily, by the time we reach 40, we only laugh about three times a day.

What's even more telling is that we laugh less on workdays compared to weekends. This underscores a sad truth: Work is a serious environment where laughter is not encouraged.

A lack of levity can be detrimental to your team. When there is no humor, aspects like productivity, well-being, and creativity plummet.

So, how can humor benefit your team? And how can you avoid the pitfalls of using humor inappropriately?

Let's explore the benefits, challenges, and best practices of adding humor to your workplace.

What Humor Says About Your Team

"One good laugh — or better still, a workplace that encourages levity — builds cohesion." –Brad Bitterly and Alison Wood Brooks

When humor permeates a team, it promotes psychologica…