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Serious about being productive? Then add a little bit of levity to your workplace! No matter what industry you’re in, research shows working environments that incorporate humor and laughter are healthier and more effective. As humans we have the tendency to take ourselves too seriously, and workplace dynamics can absolutely benefit from a bit of lightening up.
Take a look at some of the reasons laughter and fun can help increase productivity and make your marketing team more successful:
Laughter Boosts Creativity
Marketers need a constant stream of creative inspiration to keep the ideas flowing. One study by MIT showed that using funny warm up exercises written by improv comedians increased the creative output of a group of product designers by more than 1/3.
Conversely, the more you complain the less creative you are likely to be, so be sure to keep the positive juices flowing in your working environment with a dose of laughter.
Humor Strengthens Team Relationships
With the ability to reduce tension, minimize burnout and mitigate awkwardness, humor has the power to strengthen lateral and management relationships. When people laugh together their brains release “happy” substances such as serotonin and dopamine. These happy feelings are then associated with the people sharing in the laughter to break down barriers and stimulate positivity in relationships.
Fun is Beneficial to Morale
Making work enjoyable through humor, laughter, and fun provides employees with a positive work experience and reduces stress. The act of laughing releases beneficial endorphins to promote positive attitudes and minimize burnout. Taking a few minutes out for harmless pranks, sharing of silly memes, or even practicing laughter yoga can provide your marketing team with a boost of motivate.
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Humor Develops Emotional Intelligence
As interest in emotional intelligence (EI) has grown over the past several years, it has been revealed that skills in humor are a critical part of the equation. Humor allows people to manage their own emotions as well as having compassion toward the emotions of others. Additionally, humor positively impacts motivation, problem-solving, and stress-coping abilities.
Having Fun Creates Energy
Battling a feeling of being physically and emotionally drained at work? Burnout is real and the answer may just be simpler than you think. Because laughter triggers the brain to release ‘happy hormones’, it provides a burst of good energy. At the same time, laughter reduces the amount of stress hormones released that are associated with anxiety.
Laughter Promotes Physical Health
For a variety of physiological reasons, laughter helps to promote physical health. The release of endorphins, diffusion of stress, stimulation of circulatory system, increased effectiveness of the immune system, and improved mental health are all reasons that laughter can keep your staff working more effectively and efficiently. Over the long haul, a happier staff means fewer days of missed work and more opportunity for success.
Of course, healthy humor is always framed with mutual respect. Jokes should never be at the expense of others. Peppering your office with humor and light-hearted fun (of the non-offensive variety) has the power to relieve stress, improve rapport between colleagues, and improve performance in a variety in immeasurable ways. In the long term, humor in the workplace can create trust, reduce employee turnover, and foster confidence in your company that crosses over to a positive impact on clients and the bottom line.
