Today marked the start of our 3-day user conference with 376 people from 148 companies participating. The kick-off keynote came from author and comedian Andrew Tarvin, who gave an inspiring presentation on the importance of fun in the workplace.
He explained how daily infusions of humor can transform a work environment…by reducing stress and increasing job enjoyment.
As a former manager at Procter & Gamble and now a self-described ‘humor engineer,’ Andrew made a compelling case for the positive impact of humor on team performance and individual productivity. He certainly ‘walked the talk;’ Andrew’s presentation was as funny as it was informative.
At its core, the premise is simple and universally applicable: human connections occur when people share a laugh and see each other smile. This positive, inclusive effect encourages closer listening; improves mutual understanding; and helps diffuse conflict. All of which can lead to more engaged individuals, cohesive team spirit, and ultimately better results.
Importantly, Andrew also provided insight on how anyone/everyone can adopt a mindset of humor and bring that enjoyment into their daily routines. A good lesson for all of us to bring back home to our businesses.
As one customer said to me afterwards, “who wouldn’t want a workplace that inspires its employees to communicate more effectively, understand each other better, and boost their collective brainpower?”
When you put it like that, the use of humor in business is definitely a no-brainer!
Andrew’s first book ‘501 Ways to Use Humor to Beat Stress, Increase Productivity, and Have Fun at Work’ is available on Amazon (www.amazon.com/Humor-That-Works-Increase-Productivity-ebook/dp/B00A6BRFVA) Andrew’s most recent book Humor That Works: The Missing Skill for Success and Happiness at Work is available on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Humor-That-Works-Missing-Happiness-ebook/dp/B07PN74BJG/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ANDREW+TARVIN&qid=1554837666&s=digital-text&sr=1-3-catcorr)
You can also listen to his TEDx talk “The Skill of Humor” at (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdZAMSyn_As).
