Chris Robert, assistant professor of management at the University of Missouri-Columbia’s Robert J. Trulaske Sr. College of Business, studied the effects of humor in the workplace. While it’s an axiom that a happy workplace boosts morale, Robert found that humor is positively associated with workplace performance and employee retention.
Robert explains, “If you have positive emotions about your job, you’re less likely to quit. You might get a better job offer, but it will take more to draw you away when you like where you work and you like the people you work with.”
Great companies like online retailer Zappos intuitively understands the power of humor and its ability to ease stressful situations, build rapport and foster cohesiveness within the workplace. At any moment during the workday, the folks at Zappos might spontaneously rally around a friendly Oreo-eating competition, or a “Chubby Bunny Contest.” How many marshmallows can you fit into your mouth?
At Zappos, you might also be a contender in their Thumb Wars competition, or have as much fun watching it on the sidelines:
While these antics might be grounds for termination at your average corporation, Zappos encourages its employees to create fun and a little weirdness. In fact, it’s third on their top-ten-list of core values.
In Zappos’s eyes, employees are not just goofing off and wasting time. This is a valued and expected part of their workday. When humor infuses the workplace, it becomes a breeding ground for happiness, productivity, creativity and innovation. And when employees are feeling positive, customers are the first to take notice.
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