Susie Moon, Owner of Susie Moon Consulting

A horse walks into a bar, the bartender says ‘Why the long face?’......... There is a time and a place for being funny. Work can be one of them if it’s done well. In the workplace, you have to balance being funny enough to entertain your coworkers, but not so funny that you end up in the HR office. In my business, humor is one of our core values. We all spend enough of our time at work, we need to make it fun and enjoyable. Being an adult, in the business world, is serious stuff. I find that bringing some humor, levity and playfulness into the day can lift everyone’s spirits, which increases energy, creativity and productivity. What does it look like though? What lines should we color in so that we use humor to our benefit and not allow it to work against us? It’s important to know your audience. Share a comical story, something that happened to you that made you laugh. Revealing that side of yourself allows you to bring your whole self to work, showing some vulnerability and a connection to the human experience we all have. There are commonalities amongst groups that are fun to explore, and those kinds of topics are a nice place to find humor. Bringing humor into the workplace is a way to connect and build rapport. You can relieve tension and stress, you can increase trust. I mentioned increasing energy and creativity, how about increasing recall? I remember presentations that used humor far more than those that were a dry, dull repeat of the presenter’s slides. We all remember lines from our favorite funny movies or television shows, don’t we? You can put people at ease, perhaps win over an audience and make a memorable first impression. Being a little lighthearted in the workplace is a welcome counter to the heaviness of tasks sometimes. What doesn’t work? Well, unkind behavior will do the opposite of lightening the mood. Don’t look to be provocative or mean. You aren’t at a nightclub, you are with your coworkers. Roasting or teasing is out of bounds. Topics that might stir up negative emotions or conflict would be off limits as well. And, what if you ‘just aren’t funny’? Some people say that, but everyone has a little humor. You don’t need to be a stand up comedian, just be yourself, don’t take everything too seriously and don’t be afraid to laugh. Here’s the challenge - How can you use humor in the workplace to your advantage? How can this enrich your day and connect with others? Where do you see value and benefits? That’s the #moonchallenge. Take it.