Inspiring Workplaces: Laughing Matters

Published: Wed, 05/03/17

Humor at Work

ISSUE 677 - May 3, 2017


			Laughing Matters: 7 Reasons to Smile & Laugh More Often

	May is official Smile Month and this Sunday, May 7 is World Laughter Day, so here are seven quirky reasons to smile and laugh more often: A study cited in Psychology Today found that restaurant servers who smile more often receive 18% higher tips than their more stony-faced counterparts. A smile is the facial expression most visible from the farthest distance (we can spot a smile up to 100 feet/30 meters away) - one more reason to remind your front line employees to smile! Smiles are thought to have evolved as a way of sending the message, "I am showing you my teeth to indicate that I mean you no harm." A study cited in the International Journal of Humor Research found that laughter helps jog our memories - so the next time you you can't find a file at work, just start laughing! Another study from the International Journal of Humor Research found that laughter activates specialized brain circuits in people listening to the laughter which results in a more positive emotional state that mirrors the person laughing. People who hold a pen between their lips - thereby forcing a smile on their face - find cartoons funnier than people who don't. A University of Maryland study found that laughter increases blood flow by 22%, prompting lead researcher Michael Miller to suggest that 15 minutes of laughter a day is probably very good for the old vascular system!

		Mike's Fun at Work Tip

Speaking of laughter being in this month, a bank in the U.S. holds "Laugh-In Luncheons" every Friday where employees gather with their bag lunches and watch a classic TV sitcom from the 60s or 70s.
		Deep Thought of the Week

"Laugh and the world laughs with you. Snore and you sleep alone." Anthony Burgess
		It's a Wacky World

Some of the most outrageous calls received on B.C.'s E-comm 911 emergency line: "Of course it's an emergency! I need the number for a local tire dealership." "My roommate used my toothbrush" "My building's air system is too loud and I can't sleep." "I need help - my son won't put his seat belt on!" "Yes it's an emergency: the coffee shop is refusing to refill my coffee!" (Okay, this one I can almost see as legitimate!)

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20 - March 5, 2018

The Culture Engine
What do you need to do to build a rocking great culture? Mike interviews Chris Edmonds, author of the Culture Engine

Building a Culture of Trust Webinar: Trust is a critical component of any healthy workplace and successful business. Join Michael on Wednesday, June 7 for the hour-long webinar Building a Culture of Trust

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