Humor is important, very important even. Almost two-thirds of Dutch people regularly go to work with reluctance, which is a huge number. A huge shame and also very bad for stress and productivity. Research shows that people who apply sufficient humor in the workplace are more productive and less stressed. In addition, they are happier and earn more on average. During your training you will learn how to work within a company, like a real professional.

Humor makes you more productive

However, pleasure in your work, as well as humor in the workplace, are hardly discussed. This is evident from the figures. Two-thirds of all people who were part of the study indicated that they do not use humor in the workplace. While more than 80% indicate that a working atmosphere full of humor would make them more productive. It is also evident that humor increases your chances in the company, as 98% of CEOs indicate that they prefer to have employees around them who are up for fun in the workplace. Humor also reduces stress, as it makes it easier to put things into perspective.

Humor is the best advertisement for your company

So it is not about 'funny work', but about 'making work fun'. For the necessary dose of inspiration (and humor), take a look at this TEDx video from Ohio State University. Very nice! What is important for managers to realize is that in addition to increased productivity and a less stressful environment, there is another argument for allowing humor to play an important role in the workplace: image formation! At a time where talent is scarce, organizations must work on their employer brand. There's no better way than to do that with a good dose of humor. In times where social media are rampant, having a Facebook page full of fun, fun, humorous videos and photos of the workplace, for example, is a huge advantage compared to other organizations. So use this powerful weapon to benefit the image of your company. Naturally, as a company you don't want to come across as a big playground, but humor can persuade those scarce talents you are looking for to apply for a job with you.