Dear HR, It’s OK to Laugh — Incorporating Humor Into the HR Workplace

Spring 2022
CUPA-HR

“Where there is serious work punctuated by levity — that’s where we find meaning.” – Jennifer Aaker, author of Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life

Can you remember the last time you let out a genuine laugh at work? No? You’re not alone. The events of the past two years have left little room for humor in our work lives. But while there’s a time and place to maintain a more serious demeanor, there’s a case to be made for incorporating humor into the workplace — especially for HR professionals who are often viewed as the enforcers of an organization.

Ashley Dugger, program chair – human resources management, and Sean Wall-Carty, instructor – college of business, both of Western Governors University, were recently inspired by the book Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life. Dugger and Wall-Carty shared what they learned from the book about the many benefits of bringing humor into our work lives, the dos and don’ts of humor, and how to effectively weave levity into the workplace in their recent CUPA-HR webinar, Dear HR, It’s OK to Laugh: Using Humor to Strengthen Workplace Relationships.

The Benefits of Humor

While humor is sometimes considered a non-essential element of the workplace, it has many emotional and physical benefits that make us happier and healthier at work, which is essential. Think about a time when humor kept you from letting a bad day overwhelm you, from throwing in the towel or from escalating a tense situation. Humor is a powerful tool HR can use to its advantage:

Humor builds trust in relationships. In HR, building trust means colleagues may overcome their less-than-positive preconceptions of HR and turn to HR more readily for guidance and advice.

Humor builds a culture where it’s okay to admit failure. Humor helps you get over the hump and move forward in difficult situations, builds resilience and helps you get out of the “shame spiral” stuck in your mistakes. It allows others to see us as human (which is important when we work in human resources!).

Humor builds happier, healthier employees. Humor doesn’t just make us laugh. There are physical and emotional benefits, like lower cortisol levels and the release of endorphins and oxytocin when we laugh, which is great for our emotional well-being.

Humor builds trust in relationships. In HR, building trust means colleagues may overcome their less-than-positive preconceptions of HR and turn to HR more readily for guidance and advice.

Conduct a Humor Audit

So how can HR pros use humor in the workplace to reap these amazing benefits? Humor, Seriously recommends starting by conducting a humor audit to analyze where and when your workplace humor went right, where it failed and ways to use it more effectively. Consider these questions while conducting your audit:

  • What’s something at work that made me laugh recently? Why did it make me laugh and how can I incorporate this style of humor into my work?
  • Is there someone at work that I feel I can truly be myself around and whose humor I appreciate? What can I imitate about the way they use humor in the workplace?
  • When was a time my humor made someone else laugh? What did I do right in that moment?
  • When was a time my humor failed? Why did it fall flat in that situation? Was it an ill-timed joke? Was it demeaning rather than meant to build someone up?

Consider Your Audience

It’s important to err on the side of caution and consider cultural sensitivities before putting your humor to use. Before interjecting humor into a situation, consider these questions:

  • Is the joke at someone’s expense? Will it tear down and divide rather than build up and unite?
  • Is the goal to share a laugh and bring levity, or is there a separate agenda?
  • Are you insulting or demeaning yourself?
  • Have you been advised previously that your jokes are ill-mannered, badly timed or inappropriate?
  • Do others still take you seriously and depend on you?

Incorporating humor into the workplace may be new to you, but just like any new skill you can strengthen your humor muscles by putting them to use and figuring out which styles of humor appeal to your audience.

When used appropriately, humor can be the secret weapon that impacts workplace well-being and resilience and helps lessen turnover.

Humor as a Secret Weapon

Humor helps build trust and connection with employees and fosters a positive mindset. And there’s no need to be a stand-up comedian. Simply bringing a small amount of humor and levity to work is good for the whole group. When used appropriately, humor can be the secret weapon that impacts workplace well-being and resilience and helps lessen turnover.

Related resources:

Visit the Humor, Seriously website to watch a Ted Talk on why great leaders use humor, to take a humor typology quiz and for other resources.

FUN-damentals Why the Elements of Fun and Play are Essential for a Positive Work Culture (Higher Ed HR Magazine)

How to Bring the Fun at Work (The Higher Ed Workplace Blog)

Mental Health Toolkit

Health and Well-Being Toolkit