ALL WORK AND NO PLAY

 

INTRODUCTION

Work is often regarded as a burden, something necessary to earn money in order to enjoy leisure time.  It is regarded as a burden only by those in work; seen as a privilege by those out of work.  Most people are not having a lot of fun at work.  The most successful people in business do not go out to work; they go out to play!  Fun and laughter are believed to be good for business.

Laughter, play and a sense of humor are key tools for improving communication.  It helps team members to become more creative, collaborative, lower stress and accelerate learning.  Frasier Morrison, managing director of the Morrison Construction Group said that fantastic team spirit contributed to the company’s success, and a sense of humor was a key element in generating team spirit.

Research has revealed that when individuals are having fun, chemicals such as endorphins, epinephrine and adrenalin are released in the body.  It increases the energy and sense of wellbeing.  It also opens pathways to more creative thinking and decision making, higher self-esteem and better performance.  Laughter and fun can lower stress and its related health effects, such as heart disease, digestive problems and susceptibility to colds.  Lack of joy, celebration and humor can destroy a feeling of self-worth and self-empowerment.

LAUGHTER AND PEOPLE

Humor and laughter can reduce pain, relax muscles, and lower blood pressure.  Laughter increases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals.  Humor has advantageous effects in physical health, psychological status, and social life.  10 minutes of laughter is equivalent to 2 hours of relaxed sleep.  People who laugh more are more likely to cope with stress of everyday life and tend to bond with people and communicate with one another more effectively.

HUMOR AND TEAMWORK

Team is a group of people who collaborate in pursuit of a common goal.  Groups that do not collaborate are not teams, even though they may be working towards a common goal.  Interpersonal skills are communication skills which go beyond a formal feedback structure and allow for a free flow of information between all team members.

One ingredient for building team performance is the power of positive feedback.  One of the greatest experiences people want and can have is recognition for a job well done.  The appropriate supportive humor keeps the spirit of a team both happy and healthy.

Laughter is also known to ease tension between individuals, and thus promoting teamwork.  People should have a sense of humor in order to help them better muddle through the many issues a team will face on the path toward achieving its goals.  Laughter, play and a good sense of humor also help people to learn more, learn it faster and recall it easily.

HUMOR IN WORKPLACE

It is true that a single smile can lift the spirits, well-timed mirth can inspire motivation and greater productivity, and appropriate laughter is a universal currency which can raise the stakes almost everywhere.  Enjoyment in employment is vital!  Enjoyment in employment is an essential ingredient of creative growth, innovative development and happy enterprise.

It is common knowledge that the most important resources in any workplace are the human resources.  Work, as it may be, is not just about getting the job done; it is about learning new skills, enjoying social interaction, developing confidence, fulfilling a purpose, tasting success, learning from apparent failures, and experiencing fulfillment.  Work is as natural as play.  The most effective workforce is a happy workforce which is well valued, highly prized, treated well; and allowed to have fun, be creative, innovate, experiment and develop. People come to work not just for employment, but for enjoyment too.

Laughter, play and a good sense of humor is found to help people to learn more, learn it faster and recall it easily.  The “inner child” that exists in every adult can greatly help to put more joy into life, and especially into work.  It’s just that we have to know how and when to extract it.  Humor is a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter.  Laughter is a way of expressing humor.  And laughter loosens tensions up, loosens the rigorous thoughts, frees the tensed mind, and softens the rigid boundaries.  Humor and laughter can reduce tension, anger, and frustration.

Humor at work lowers employee feeling of anxiety, alleviates some boredom, and reduces their perceived level of stress.  Humor and laughter serve to provide a distraction, a safe relief of negative energy, and a counter-balance to the seriousness inherent in many jobs.  Exercising a sense of humor will help managers to make employees feel part of the company.

FUN IN THE WORKPLACE

A fun work environment will increase the levels of enthusiasm, satisfaction, creativity, and communication among employees, and enhance feelings of group cohesiveness.  A fun workplace will contribute to the strength of an organizations’ corporate culture.  The importance of humor and laughter is greatly underestimated.  Humor is useful as

• a tension reducer, that it brings about a sense of relaxation.
• a binding force, an adhesive.
• a channel through which employees can share a common experience, and in the process come to know and accept one another.
• in tension reduction, attention getting, and making or emphasizing a point.

Humor can have a positive impact on group cohesiveness, drawing employees together toward common goals.

CONCLUSION

Humor works best when it matches with one’s personality.  Humor loosens up people and gives them a greater perspective on themselves.  A good sense of humor relaxes people and improves personal interactions.  Humor allows people to make mistakes and say wrong things.  Humor is a way to let go of negative feelings.  Humor allows people to start afresh and be more receptive to positive messages.  It is in the interest of all of us - managers, colleagues, workers, clients and customers – that we make work joyful, fun and happy.  Excellence is inspired by a happy environment.  People with a winning smile win because they smile!

Be human at work and enjoy your colleagues and staff.  Smile more and laugh out loud periodically.

REFERENCES:

1.            (1997),"All Work and No Play May Be Harming Your Business", Management Development Review, Vol. 10 Iss: 7 pp. 254 - 255

2.            Yi-Ping Lee, Brian H. Kleiner, (2005),"How to Use Humor for Stress Management", Management Research News, Vol. 28 Iss: 11 pp. 179 – 186

3.            Robert Holden, 1993"Enjoyment in Employment: How to Utilize the Power of Laughter, Humour and Smile At Work", Employee Counselling Today, Vol. 5 Iss: 4 pp. 17 – 20

4.            Ilene F. Rockman, (2003),"Fun in the Workplace", Reference Services Review, Vol. 31 Iss: 2 pp. 109 – 110

5.            Robert C. Ford, John W. Newstrom, Frank S. McLaughlin, (2004),"Making Workplace Fun More Ctional", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 36 Iss: 3 pp. 117 – 120

6.            Maurice B. Line, (1990),"Why Isn't Work Fun?", Library Management, Vol. 11 Iss: 5 pp. 15 – 17

7.            Jack Mendleson, Steven Golen, Patricia Adams, (1986),"Humour in Managerial Communication", Industrial Management & Data Systems, Vol. 86 Iss: 9 pp. 5 - 8