Whitespace: Why your business should be a laughing matter

Issue 33: January 2008

A mushroom walks into a bar and asks the bartender for a drink. The bartender declines the request telling the mushroom 'we don't serve your kind in here'. The mushroom asks: 'Why not? I'm a fungi.'

Just how much of a fun guy or fun girl are you? In a bid to quantify the matter, laughter experts estimate the average adult laughs around 15 times each day. This figure doesn't sound too bad until you consider that children are estimated to laugh between 300 and 400 times a day. Clearly life becomes much less amusing as we grow older, but does it really have to be this way? Perhaps not, suggest a number of managers who believe laughter-filled workplaces translate to higher levels of productivity.

Just add humour?

The idea of bringing humour into the workplace is nothing new with numerous studies over the years pointing out its benefits. Late last year University of Missouri researchers proclaimed that occasional humour among colleagues has the potential to enhance creativity, workplace cohesiveness and overall business performance. In addition, a recent Canadian poll suggested humour is something employees look for in a workplace with 88 per cent believing it is important for their manager to display a sense of humour.

Few would disagree with the idea of encouraging humour at work, however it can be a practice that's much easier said that done. For starters, humour is a subjective experience. A joke one person finds excruciating funny may be offensive to another. Trying too hard to be funny can backfire as the inept David Brent proved time and again on The Office. And in our increasingly multi-cultural society, the issue of cross-cultural differences can emerge as a stumbling block to inclusive office humour. If instigating hilarity at work sounds way too hard right now, don't despair; consider the alternative… laughter without humour.

Laughter groups are no joke

Laughter groups – organised sessions in which people laugh without going near a joke – are emerging at workplaces across the globe in a slow burning trend. The idea behind these groups is that participants fake laughter until they make real laughter through a series of exercises. During this process, a contagious effect sets in with one person's genuine laugh evoking the same reaction in another; a response that has recently been tested by British scientists claim parts of the brain become 'infected' by mirth. (If you have any doubt about this finding listen to the famous live version of 'Are You Lonesome Tonight' in which Elvis Presley erupts into contagious laughter.)

Laughter group advocates claim anybody can laugh for up to 20 minutes in a process that evokes a mediation-like experience. The theory is that when a person is laughing they cannot think of anything else, they are forced to relax their mind and turn off external pressures. In the short term laughter groups are an opportunity to wind down during the day, in the longer term they can help combat anxiety and depression. And laughter isn't just good for the head; it's also said to be beneficial for the body. Clinical research suggests that laughter exercises our lungs, facial muscles and diaphragm. Some claim a solid laughter session can be good as jogging for half an hour.

Yoga gets funny

While laughter groups are currently gaining momentum in Western countries, laughter yoga is already huge in India. Created in 1995 by Indian general practitioner Dr Madan Kataria, laughter yoga combines laughter sessions with breathing exercises. To initiate laughter, instructors employ exercises such as the 'ho, ho, ha-ha-ha' chant or the 'lion laugh', which involves sticking out your tongue and flapping your hands by your ears. Following this, a series of breathing exercises are conducted to further evoke a sense of release.

Over its short history laughter yoga has attracted some high profile fans including comedian John Cleese who has described the phenomenon as a 'force for democracy'. Numerous other devotees agree, saying laughter is a leveler that breaks down social and organisational hierarchies in an enjoyable, healthy experience. They also point out that laughter yoga and laughter groups are easy to undertake as no equipment or special venues are required; you can make it a DIY affair or use the services of a laugher professional – of which they are a growing number in Australia.

The company that laughs together...

As the skills shortage continues to intensify there is mounting pressure on managers to facilitate environments that are inspiring to talented members of staff. Laughter sessions are just one way to provide creative team building activities that can make coming to work a much less routine experience. Without significant expense, the pay-off is a less stressed, more productive workplace for both you and your staff… and that's no joking matter.

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