If You Don't Laugh You'll Cry

Do you ever get paranoid about the way certain workers on your payroll don't smile pleasantly--ever?  I hate to point this out (preferring to spread cheer and optimism) but since entering the workforce I've experienced employees who not only won't smile and say "hello" to co-workers; they also will even give off hostile vibes, such as suspiciously looking a colleague up and down, raising their eyebrows in lieu of a friendly facial expression; and sometimes looking in any direction rather than the one of the oncoming person in the hallway, the idea of having to smile and say "hello" seeming odious to them. I'm not an extrovert, or even a great lover of people (as mentioned in previous blogs, I hope someday for a world dominated by house cats), but I try to at least be pleasant and genial if not bubbling with outward-facing excitement.

Times are rough and stress is prevalent, so I certainly can't blame my workforce comrades if they don't feel like smiling, but if your company is suffering from this dour affliction, it might be more than unpleasant; it might mean you have an employee retention problem on your hands. Who wants to work in a sad scene, no matter how high the compensation, and whatever the perks?  Maybe trainers should team up with human resource peers to come up with a strategy to lighten the mood. Of course, heaven forbid, you don't want to cut into productivity, but what about contests for joke of the month or a bulletin board on every floor where workers are encouraged to post amusing blurbs from magazines and newspapers? In addition to laughter, the shared material also might stimulate new ideas and creativity. An innovation firm I visited here in New York City last year did that very thing to an extreme--everywhere you looked in the office were places for shared anecdotes and inspiration, much of it entertaining.

Feeling entertained more than cultivates a happy work environment; it keeps the minds of workers engaged enough to be alert to their tasks. When you're sad, the brain seems to tune out unconsciously in an effort to escape, and a kind of walking depression sets in. The unhappy worker is functioning, but just barely. Inside, he/she actually never got out of bed that morning.

While print and electronic media make great shared fodder for entertainment, don't overlook the contents of your employees' work day. How about once a month asking for submissions for the funniest customer service story, the most humorous company operations slip-up, or the funniest on-the-job gaffe? Besides encouraging laughter, asking workers to share those stories in a comfortable environment makes it easier to address the problems that led to the "funny" moments. Teaching employees to laugh at their workplace frustrations, and then learn from them, will enable them to more constructively handle stress, and the process of sharing on-the-job anecdotes with peers will foster camaraderie.

The worst is an office where employees are given the message they'll be frowned on for laughing, that their laughter is a sign they're not taking their jobs seriously. I hate to be the bearer of bad news to executives who deem their sales of widgets and widgette deluxes a matter of life and death, but even physicians are known to laugh quite a bit (coming from a medical family I've heard the stories, and I know)--even, gasp, at work! 

What's the big deal?  So you lost a million dollars. Did anyone die?  If they did die, is scowling and acting unpleasant going to raise the dead?  Since I trust most of your workforces don't have to worry about raising the deceased, encourage executives in leadership development programs to be a model of lightheartedness along with efficiency, and teach them tactics for cultivating a more easygoing, open-to-giggle-rather-than-cry team of employees.

I hope Wall Streeters have learned to laugh. I guess now would be the time for that..ha, ha, ha. They might not be able to "laugh all the way to the bank," but maybe it'll make the trip to the poor house easier.

Are you teaching work teams to laugh together in stressful times rather than tear each other's hair out?  What's your strategy for encouraging a pleasant work environment?

Comments

[Jane Wood]

In my office, every other afternoon we hold 15 minute energizers: marshmallow dodgeball, a scavenger hunt, hallway bowling, quick rounds of popular board games (scattergoeis, pictionary, tip of the tongue, jackass, last word), puzzle-building competitions, play-doh charades challenges, etc. I even started measuring people's energy and alertness levels before and after the activities. Energy levels increase 25% and alertness levels increase 30% immediately following our energizers. Has improved our feelings of teamwork, comaraderie, and productivity dramatically.

[Ben Kroff]

we had a trainer come in and talk to our team about using humor to deal with stress. The presenter was free through Intermountain Health Care, our insurance provider.

[MCSE Training]

good job