Humor in business can build a positive culture, increase team morale, and create brand loyalty. But, it must be used wisely and in line with company values.
Studies have identified a relationship between humor use and leadership. However, it is unclear whether this relationship stems from general leadership skills or trait-based personality characteristics. Unlock success with business etiquette classes. Elevate professionalism, communication, and networking skills. Gain a competitive edge in today’s corporate landscape.
1. During Meetings
Whether you are hosting a meeting in person or via phone or video conference, humor can be a great way to keep your team engaged. But it’s important to be aware of how your jokes may impact others and how your audience might interpret them.
Incorporate humor to build rapport with your team and create a positive company culture. Whether you choose to use humorous group names for creative teams, add amusing touches to sales receipts or packaging, or encourage employees to share personal jokes with their coworkers and clients, humor can make your business stand out from the competition.
Research suggests that a positive and supportive workplace can improve morale, problem-solving skills, and customer satisfaction. Humor can help with all of these objectives by increasing employee engagement, decreasing power distance, and creating a more positive perception of leadership.
2. During Interviews
When a candidate is interviewed for a position, humor helps break down barriers and build trust. However, it’s important to use humor judiciously and avoid jokes that are inappropriate or insensitive.
Humor inspires the release of oxytocin, which facilitates social bonding and increases trust and self-disclosure. It also boosts performance and job satisfaction. However, a person who is not comfortable with humor can be a poor fit for the organization’s culture and may not be effective in a leadership role.
Several studies have investigated the relationship between leader humor and leadership outcomes. The research has found that context and leadership characteristics influence the relationship between leader humor and outcomes. However, researchers have struggled to define humor and develop a measurement instrument that is fit for purpose in the workplace leadership context.
3. During Presentations
The use of humor in presentations can help build company culture and brand personality, increase customer loyalty, and differentiate the business from competitors. However, companies should carefully research and test their audience to determine what type of humor is most effective. This can include experimenting with different jokes and memes, seeking feedback from colleagues, and observing how the audience reacts.
Adding humor to a presentation can boost the speaker’s confidence and perceived competence, according to a study published in the Harvard Business Review. Additionally, laughter during presentations releases oxytocin, a feel-good hormone, and increases memorability. Leadership scholars have also found that leaders who use humor during meetings increase their followers’ satisfaction with their leader and reduce power distance. Future studies that delineate competency areas for the use of humor will be valuable to leaders and researchers alike.
4. During Meetings with Clients
While humor can create a bond between team members and clients, it is important to consider the context in which it is used. Using humor at the wrong time can be off-putting and can make the leader appear insensitive.
Laughter sparks the release of oxytocin, which increases social bonding, reduces stress levels, and improves trust. This makes it an effective tool to use when building relationships with clients.
Research has found a relationship between leader humor use and leadership outcomes, but this finding is difficult to explain. Further theory development is needed to explore the moderator and boundary conditions that influence leader humor use. Developing instruments that go beyond humor styles to assess the appropriateness of humor should also be considered. These can help identify competencies areas that are essential for successful leaders to possess.
5. During Meetings with Coworkers
There’s nothing more awkward than making a joke at work and having it fall flat or cause offense. But humor can be a powerful tool for improving workplace relationships, including during meetings with coworkers.
Just make sure you’re using the right type of humor. Jokes that imply racial, religious, sexual, or other prejudices can reinforce discrimination and create an isolating environment for those who don’t share the same sense of humor.
When company leaders use humor inappropriately, it can create a culture of distrust among employees. Bringing in HR to guide and support these leaders can help them find a better balance between their use of humor and company values. They can also ensure the leader has adequate self-awareness to be able to recognize when they’re using negative humor, which decreases trust and knowledge-sharing.