August 08, 2011
Wellness program decision makers face a challenge: how to help workers stay enthusiastic and motivated. With the worst recession since the Great Depression, layoffs, downsizing, and business failures are commonplace. Employees surviving this turmoil see negative effects on their workloads, paychecks, job opportunities, security, and personal self-worth. A Global Workforce Study of employee attitudes and workplace trends conducted by Towers Watson reflects changes in the way US employees view their work. Traditional motivators that used to drive performance and loyalty have been replaced with a risk-averting, survivalist attitude that stifles creativity and innovation.
Laughter Is Medicine
There is a story about President Abraham Lincoln... while conducting an important Civil War staff meeting, he interrupted to read an amusing story, attempting to lighten the dark mood. No one even smiled. As the story goes, Lincoln said "Gentlemen, why don't you laugh? With the fearful strain that is upon me day and night, if I did not laugh I should die, and you need this medicine as much as I do."
President Lincoln realized a very basic truth: Laughter is the best medicine for a hurting workplace.
Izzy Gesell, MEd, Certified Speaking Professional, uses humor extensively in his leadership and workplace transformation programs. "Positive humor is a bridge that connects people. In the workplace, employees share experiences and knowledge that set them apart from others. They find events in their day to laugh about, which says 'We're in this together.' Being able to laugh together relieves built-up tension and gives employees back some measure of control over their lives."
Humor Now? You Can't Be Serious!
Some might question the appropriateness of developing an employee wellness initiative around humor in the workplace right now. With colleagues being laid off, the local community suffering, or benefit packages shrinking, laughing may seem like the last thing anyone would want to do.
Izzy acknowledges that when a company is in crisis the use of humor is a tricky line to walk. "Despite the best intentions people can still feel violated by a misuse of humor. Certainly, don't joke about the situation itself. Just recognize what is going on and find ways to help them deal with it positively. And remember, this situation won't last forever. As our mothers always said, 'Someday we'll look back on this and laugh.'"
In the meantime, Izzy encourages employee wellness professionals to find ways to use humor that aren't directly related to an unpleasant event. He remembers how people wondered if we could ever laugh again after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. "When David Letterman came on a few days later, everyone wondered if he would address it. In his monologue, Letterman joked about the Jewish New Year and how he couldn't stop writing the year 5722 on his checks. The real point was there is always something we can laugh about without having to laugh at something that is definitely not funny."
According to Izzy the bottom line is to focus on the needs of people left in the company. "Look at the TV show 'MASH.' It's an excellent illustration of the importance of humor during the darkest times. When things were at their craziest, the only way to cope was laughter. After all, work doesn't stop. Remaining employees are under tremendous stress. Perhaps you can find ways to poke fun at the industry or the company's competition who may be dealing with similar issues. If you can lighten up the environment, you will also lighten employees' load and make it easier for them to deal with the consequences of this recession."
Izzy recommends assessing the current mood in the workplace. What kind of humor exists and how is it being used? "Negative humor is a reflection of how people are really feeling... a manifestation of underlying problems. Of course, don't allow it to degrade into sexual or racial harassment. That's crossing the line. But take these observations to management to initiate the discussion. Humor is happening anyway. So managers would be wise to pay attention to what it says about the employees and recognize there are more positive ways to deal with it."
Remind management that humor is integral to any workplace wellness program and improves the company's bottom line:
Once you have management's attention, point out that positive change needs to happen from the top down. Help managers explore their own sense of humor and how they can use it in their role as company leaders. Izzy works extensively with leadership development and observes, "Effective leaders are not solemn. That says they are unapproachable. Leaders must set the example that illustrates how they want other people to act."
Next bring together members of the organization and form strategies to:
Corporate wellness professionals can:
Humor Is a Learned Skill
Izzy summarizes the multifaceted benefits of humor as an employee wellness tool, especially in hard times. "Humor is an underutilized and unappreciated resource because people don't understand it. Everyone wants a sense of humor but few take time to cultivate that skill. Instead we spend our time on the negative things in life. It's important to train people in how humor works and how it benefits them by expanding connections and happiness. Humor has been around since the dawn of mankind. Humor won't cure the world's problems, but it helps us face them."
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