Humor at your workplace? Bite your tongue!
But really, humor has great benefits, if done well. People who laugh together create a bond. When you’re enjoying some humor at the office, you’ll generally be more productive and enjoy being at work. However, if humor is done the wrong way or taken too far, you can quickly crash and burn. Here are some ways to properly use humor at work.
- When in doubt…
Your idea of funny may not exactly line up with everyone else’s in your office. Something funny to you could be offensive to the next guy. When you’re considering a joke, if you’re not sure if you should say it, then don’t. Better to err on the side of caution. Your goal may be to lighten up the atmosphere, but if your joke goes south, it’s going to make that atmosphere even worse.
- “And then I…”
Being able to laugh at yourself is a great trait. Seeing the humor or irony in situations you find yourself in assures that you’re not offending someone by poking fun at them. Also, being able to laugh at yourself is a good way for people to see that you don’t take yourself too seriously. As with all jokes, just don’t go overboard. You still want your colleagues to respect you.
- Train yourself
Start to train yourself to see the humor in certain situations. Irony or seeing the absurd is a great chuckle-inducer. Even if you never voice what you find funny, being able to have a lighter perspective on your environment can be helpful to you personally.
- Stop the passive-aggressiveness
Humor or making jokes about someone is not the way to go if you have an issue with them. Rather, talk with them directly. Mean-spirited joking really isn’t funny, even if people go along with it and give it a chuckle. If you have to say, “I was only joking!”. Or you find yourself complaining that “they don’t know how to take a joke,” then you’ve got a problem.
- Be who you are
Can you tell a joke? Can you really? Let’s be honest, there are just some people who can’t tell a good joke, and that’s okay. Contribute with a smile or a laugh! Be who you are, don’t try to force something when it isn’t natural. Just remember, you can learn how to develop this aspect of yourself.
- Think outside the box
The opportunities are limitless for you to come up with a unique way to use humor. From personal choices to office-wide interactions, you can come up with some crazy ways to have fun. If you’ve got an idea, see if you can’t get your manager on board. The more support you’ve got, the greater chance the rest of your colleagues will want to join in on the fun.
Not nearly enough workplaces employ humor well or at all. Be the change at your job and see if you can’t bring some levity with you to work. The health benefits are numerous, the camaraderie building is beneficial and it just makes life better.