Why Humor is a Must-Have at Work

The old way of working is no longer working.

You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t like to laugh. Humor is an everyday aspect of life, something we enjoy frequently with friends, partake in via media, and actively seek out in partners (“sense of humor” is consistently ranked as one of the most important attributes people look for in a mate).

And yet, when it comes to the workplace, most people think of humor as a nice-to-have. “It’d be great if I enjoyed my work, but if not, oh well. I just need the paycheck.”

But the truth is, if you aren’t having fun at work, you’re not only robbing yourself of joy, you’re also missing out on being better at your job.

Don’t want to read? Check out this AI generated song summarizing the message:

The Old Mentality: Work Must Feel Like Work

For a long time, the prevailing attitude toward work was that it had to be serious. If you weren’t serious, then you weren’t working hard enough. People believed that laughter and humor at work were signs that you didn’t really care about your work or weren’t doing any of it.

But this mentality is outdated because the way we work has changed. In the past, there was a clear boundary between work and life. You’d clock out at 5 PM and leave work at the office. If you worked in a factory, you weren’t bringing home a machine to keep working on over the weekend.

But now? We’re connected 24/7. Thanks to email, Zoom, Slack, and the ever-present pings and dings of smartphones, we’re “always on.” As a result, stress and disengagement are at all-time highs.

Let’s look at the numbers:

• 83% of Americans are stressed at work.

• 55% are unsatisfied with their jobs.

• 47% struggle to be happy.

This all adds up to 70% of the workforce being disengaged, which costs the U.S. economy up to $500 billion in lost productivity every year. Clearly, the current way of working isn’t working.

That’s where humor comes in. When we can make work more enjoyable, we not only reduce stress, but we also re-engage ourselves and our teams. Humor has over 30 proven benefits in the workplace, from improving communication to reducing stress, increasing engagement, and boosting creativity. The bottom line? Humor works. And it works well.

Agree or disagree?

A Simple Idea: Fun or Not Fun?

At its core, the reason humor is so effective comes down to a very simple idea: Would you rather do something fun or not fun? The answer seems obvious. Most people would choose fun. Yet, when it comes to our work, we somehow overlook that simple truth.

If you make your work—or anything in life—a little more fun, you’re more likely to engage with it. It’s common sense. Think about it: Wouldn’t you rather attend a meeting if it were a bit more enjoyable? Wouldn’t you be more likely to read an email if it had a dash of humor? And wouldn’t you stay more focused on a project if it didn’t feel like a tedious slog?

Injecting humor into everyday tasks makes them more enjoyable, and as a result, we’re more likely to do them—and do them well.

Make Life (and Work) Fun

Humor isn’t an extra. It’s a tool—a powerful, must-have tool that can improve every aspect of what we do, from the workplace to our personal lives. We’re living in a world where work and life blend together more than ever, so why not make it enjoyable? Why not make the hard things a little easier by having some fun along the way?

At the end of the day, humor isn’t just a way to pass the time—it’s a way to get better results, feel more fulfilled, and make life a little more enjoyable. So go ahead, sprinkle some humor into your day. You might just be surprised at how much of a difference it makes.

(an)drew

PS. If you want some additional steps on adding humor into your work, check out our Make Work Suck Less Course.