Laughing All the Way: How Humour Secretly Reduces Employee Turnover

Think back through your work day. Have you laughed today? What did that laughter do for reducing stress, for your connection with colleagues, or for your energy? The answer I’m guessing, is pretty positive. 

The truth is that laughter in business can be a game changer. While humour at work might appear to have little relevance to organisation’s success, it actually plays a crucial role in keeping your employees happy and sticking around. 

Those laughter moments are big part of what makes us human. One of my first ever jobs was working in a burger bar. For the first few months, even though the job was boring, I genuinely enjoyed going into work, mostly because of the banter and laughs. It was fun  - and some of those co-workers were some of the funniest people I’ve ever met. A by-product of that was that week in week out ours was the most successful shirt judged by sales, and also had the lowest staff turnover by a distance.

So let’s have a look at five exciting ways humour works its magic to reduce employee turnover. 

1. Supercharges Employee Engagement

Humour transforms a dull office into an engaging playground – witness my burger bar! A study by Gallup reveals that engaged employees are 59% less likely to hunt for a new job. When colleagues are laughing, it builds a tight-knit community where everyone feels they belong. The result? Employees who are less tempted to look elsewhere.

2. Zaps Stress and Burnout

The American Institute of Stress says that stress is behind nearly 80% of workplace accidents and costs businesses a staggering $300 billion annually. Enter stage left humour, the ultimate stress-buster. Laughter releases those delightful endorphins, that melt away stress and leaves people feeling pretty good about themselves and their colleagues.

3. Boosts Communication

Humour is the magic ingredient that breaks down barriers and enhances communication among teams. According to the Journal of Managerial Psychology, humour in managerial chats leads to better team dynamic and can significantly improve morale. When people feel at ease to speak openly, it also reduces misunderstandings and conflict, and helps put people on the same page.

4. Ignites Creativity and Innovation

A fun workplace is great for creativity. A Stanford University study shows that humour and laughter light up the brain’s creative circuits. When employees feel free to think differently and aren’t afraid of a few laughs along the way, they’re far more likely to come up with brilliant ideas, making their jobs more satisfying and ensuring they’re more likely to stay.

5. Builds Strong Team Bonds

Shared laughter forges unbreakable team bonds. The Harvard Business Review found that teams that share humour and giggles can see an incredibly 50% boost in performance. These positive relationships create a supportive network where people valued and understood; and let’s be honest, when we feel valued we’re much less likely to leave.