The Harvard Business Review has investigated how best to get people back in the office.
There’s a strong desire among business decision makers (BDMs) to get people back into the office. But, three years of zero commuting time and an ability to more effectively manage work-life balance means employees are looking for a compelling reason to trudge back to the office — and 73% of them say they need a better reason than just company expectations. So, the question becomes, what is a compelling reason to come into the office?
In a recent survey, 62% of people identified as lonely. So, it would seem, that both company owners and workers want the same thing – more positive time in the office.
When asked what would motivate them to come into the office, employees had a resounding answer: social time with co-workers:
- 85% of employees would be motivated to go into the office to rebuild team bonds.
- 84% of employees would be motivated to go into the office if they could socialise with co-workers.
It’s simple: People care about people.
Dani Klein Modisett is an actor, comedian, author, and the founder and CEO of Laughter on Call. In addition to all of her impressive endeavours, she joined The Humourology Podcast as a guest last year.
She discussed the value of laughter when it comes to healing and growing. Her company, Laughter on Call helps provide those in need with a comedic presenter to help infuse humour into the spaces and people who need it most.
Recently, Laughter on Call put out a lovely video discussing the value of bringing a sense of humour into the workplace to inspire workers to feel more welcome and engaged in their workspace. Laughter on Call offers workshops that utilise humour, improv, and laughter to make the return to the office more bearable.
Beating Loneliness with Levity and Laughter
“I want my team to thrive, I want my team to feel that they have all the tools they need to come into the workplace. If we could successfully support the team through intentional laughter, I know three things will happen, I will increase my team’s mental well-being, I will improve their general levels of happiness, which invariably improves their levels of engagement.”
– Tessy Ojo
When employees don’t feel welcome or engaged with their place of work, they are less likely to go above and beyond in their work. Even when having others around them, some workers may still feel lonely because of the lack of connection they share with their colleagues.
When employees feel more connected to the workplace, they are more likely to find creative solutions to a variety of problems. When an employee feels welcome and connected to their workplace, they are more willing to put forth more effort and try new things. Feeling comfortable and connected to work makes employees feel like they can take bigger risks and try innovative solutions without the fear of the consequences of failure.
Collaboration is also a byproduct of connected and engaged employees. Humour in the workplace can help build shared connections through shared laughter. These connections make it easy for workers to start working with each other to find creative solutions. Teams that are fully engaged in the workplace and that connect with each other are far more likely to show resilience in the face of adversity.
An Engaged Worker is One Who Cares
“Good leaders and good businesses should want happy, healthy, relaxed staff. Because that is where not only do you get the best out of people, but the best teams are formed, and the best results are created for whatever industry you’re in. In a socially distanced workplace, you have to invest in things that are going to bring you together. For most people, laughter is a great way to do that.”
-Georgie Holt, The Humourology Book.
When a worker becomes engaged in their place of work, they are more likely to place the success of the company over, or at least even with, their personal success. They will enjoy coming to work. They will try their hardest to put their best work forward. They will show resiliency when things go wrong. An engaged employee can be an invaluable resource for any business.
A worker who is engaged in their workplace through a shared sense of levity is also more likely to be happy, experience less stress, and genuinely find joy in the work they do.
The next time you need to help engage employees or interject humour in the spaces that need them most, keep Dani Klein Modisett and Laughter on Call in mind.
If you want to learn more about the value of humour in business and in life, join us on The Humourology Podcast.
We’re all still learning how to get hybrid-working right. From the research, it’s clear that putting people at the centre by fostering connections between employees is key to the new role of the office. The Humourology solution? Learn how to make your office a ‘fun factory’ by bringing laughter to the fore and you will have a much better chance of enticing workers back.
See you next Tuesday.
Warmest,
Paul x
