Are laughter levels in your office dropping? If so, you’re not alone. According to a study of over 5,000 office employees by Comedy Central UK, increased pressure and job-security worries are making the lighthearted workplace a thing of the past for many workers.
Depressed employees told the TV channel that laughter is down 50 percent, and almost half reported they’ve stopped sharing jokes due to fear of recrimination.
Worse, that staple of workplace humor, the good-natured office prank, is no longer a frequent occurrence in the UK; now, the average company plays just four pranks a year, down from an expected monthly dose of silliness a year ago. And a sad 42 percent say people in their offices never play practical jokes anymore.
Come on, managers! It’s time to lighten up and encourage some more enjoyment. Don’t you know that laughter boosts morale, and boosting morale lifts productivity? People who enjoy their work environment are more likely to be engaged and active in their day-to-day performance. Humor might be a distraction, but it’s a positive one.
Jill Offman, managing directory of Comedy Central UK, agrees with me:
“We spend such a large portion of our day at work so it’s important that we find some time to enjoy ourselves and have a bit of fun,” she says. “Studies have shown that jokes and laughter improve our mood and in turn can help raise morale, which is especially important at the moment.”
Offman and Comedy Central UK are putting their money where their mouths are by sponsoring an international prank event this Friday, May 22, called Flashprank (Flashmob + Prank, get it?) Friday. The goal: Inspire people to come up with great office highjinks and inject some humor back into their working lives.
To take part, join the Facebook Flashprank Friday group, come up with your own fabulous practical joke, and post pictures of the prank to the group page. The best prank from the UK will win an iPod Touch; pranksters from other countries will reap the satisfaction of putting the fun back into a dysfunctional workplace.
Oh, and if you need inspiration? Check out this YouTube clip of the best pranks on Dwight from The Office, NBC’s hit television series (which, not coincidentally, is now airing on Comedy Central UK). Or revisit my post about five classic computer pranks to get a leg up on the competition. And feel free to share your ideas in the comments section here!
Happy Flashpranking.
(image by agjiminez via Flickr, CC 2.0)
