team-building Archives - Laughter Works

19 January, 2015 by Cris Popp

How To Increase Productivity With Laughter

Take a stroll through a kindergarten and compare that environment to an office space full of people. One thing that really stands out is the somber mood that is characteristic of any workstation. While young kids in a play ground laugh and giggle at the same time developing their young minds, adults tend to outgrow fun (or so it seems) when they get a job. Tradition dictates that silence and seriousness is essential for maximum production. However, recent studies now tell us that laughter goes a long way in enhancing performance in the workplace.

In recent times laughter has been touted as “the best medicine” for becoming an efficient remedy to gloomy workdays as well as improving the general atmosphere of organizations. Funny enough, as a result of all the research laughter is now taken very seriously.

Some of the benefits that are credited to laughter at the workplace include:

Acts as a coping mechanism
Significantly reduces stress
Enhances memory retention
People who laugh the loudest are also the most creative at problem solving
Laughter enhances productivity

Among the many studies conducted was one involving Canadian financial institutions that concluded that managers who were considered humorous had a greater level of employee productivity. Stanford University’s Dr. William Fry found that laughing 200 times boosts energy levels and leaves you feeling more alive as well as burns the same number of calories as rowing vigorously for 10 minutes.

Comedian Leigh Anne recommends the following techniques for laughter at the workplace:

Give out crayons and paper for creative doodling.
Use funny quotes in correspondence
Organize “extra-curricular” activities
Encourage employees to laugh at their own foolishness
Make use of improvised games as stress busters and icebreakers

Other ways include having caption contests or impromptu theme days at work. Now that there’s scientific proof that work shouldn’t feel like punishment why not get that list of practical jokes ready!

Kris uses his immense experience as a conference speaker as well as a laughter expert to integrate laughter into any workplace during conferences or workshops. Get in touch +61(0)438 545 607 or send him an email info@laughterworks.com.au.

Never Underestimate Laughter At Work Ever Again. via @crispopp http://t.co/KL07MKbgGy

— Cris Popp (@laughterpopp) January 20, 2015

12 January, 2015 by Cris Popp

How Laughter Makes For a Better Team

Every organisation wants to be full of winning teams – and much of the work of HR, and leadership and management is to help create those conditions. They can include things like inclusion, shared decision-making, distributed leadership, a good physical environment, a safe place to work, security – and respect for all people, despite their level and role. One thing that all of these methods try to achieve is to create a conducive environment for workmates – one where happiness will keep team members satisfied with their various roles in the organizations and hence become, or stay, more productive. And how do we know when people are happy – they laugh. In light of this, why not just cut to the chase and make your employees happy by making them laugh?

Some of the reasons why laughter may come in handy are:

Communication

When management is keen to create a light atmosphere, it encourages team members to speak openly about how they feel about the company and its policies. This feedback is imperative for any organization that realizes that happy workers equal greater productivity. A manager who good-humoured, and openly lasts – even one that makes fun of him-or herself breaks down the barrier that is ubiquitous in many employer-employee relationships. People who laugh are good to be around and comes across as one of the team.

Reduced Stress

Life is certainly more hectic now than it was a few decades ago. As adults, we laugh far less than we did as children (about 80% less), and as a community we laugh far less than we used to. Strain interferes with a person’s ability to focus on their work which leads to a significant reduction in productivity. By injecting laughter into your people’s daily routine, the effects of tension are greatly mitigated making it possible for a team’s operations to go on with little or no interruption.

Enhanced Creativity

Think of a situation where formalities are the norm; where tension thrives amongst employees and where unbreachable barriers exist between management and the rest of the workforce. It is much harder to get novel ideas from workers as they may be too intimidated and think that their ideas will be automatically rejected. Contrast this to a situation where employees are encouraged (with the aid of humor) to air their views without fear of reprisal. It shouldn’t be surprising that those in the last scenario will suggest even the wildest of ideas which ultimately may be the solution to a common problem due to their out-of-the-box thinking. However, even if their ideas are not adopted the light atmosphere keeps them from taking it personally. Laughter before a creativity workshop – does wonders to help build innovation.

In fact, Edward DeBona, the father of lateral thinking, says that humour and creativity are very close together. Laughter is what happens when you get lots of humour.

Kris has many years’ experience running laughter workshops for both teams and organizations. Give him a buzz on +61(0)438 545 607 or send him an email info@laughterworks.com.au.

For leaders keen on building an effective team. via @crispopp http://t.co/hHMWSJhTGv

— Cris Popp (@laughterpopp) January 11, 2015

11 March, 2014 by Cris Popp

Laughter Exercises to Help Build Team Camaraderie at Work

Remember the time you were laughing with someone? How about when somebody cracked a joke and that put you in a better mood? Laughing can be one of the best and simplest ways to improve your mood and disposition. Likewise, it can be also one of the best methods to improve camaraderie in your work place – the trust and rapport between people laughing can be very productive.

Laughter exercises help remove people’s inhibitions and reservations. You can have the benefits right now by practising some laughter therapy techniques or laughing exercises. Give these a try …

Before doing the laughing exercises:

Make sure to warm up.
Do some stretching and deep breathing exercises.

Laughing exercises to try:

Greeting laughter –walk around and great each other with a good laugh
Gradient laughter –start with a smile, then proceed to a chuckle. The laughter degree should increase slowly until the whole room is laughing already. Driving laughter – this is like role playing. Actors if you are behind the wheel and laugh.
Argument laughter – great in a workplace . Fake arguments with your co-workers, however, instead of the argument escalating to yelling, laugh instead.
Mobile phone laughter – this is similar to driving laughter. Act as if you are holding a mobile phone. Walk past your colleagues who are also pretend to hold up the phone, and laugh at what your hearing.
Heart laughter – engage in a simple talk and laugh heartily.

Not game to try doing this on your own? – Call laughterworks and have a professional run your laughter workshop for you: info@laughterworks.com.au, or 0438 545 607

4 October, 2012 by Cris Popp

Australia’s Premier Laughter Leaders

Welcome to Australia’s leading laughter leaders. We have been leading laughter, team-building, resilience and stress-busting seminars across Australia since 2004. So if you’re looking for something that will bring your staff together, reduce stress, lift morale and fill your workplace with happy high performers you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve enjoyed success in all sorts of settings from micro-firms to large corporates including the ANZ Bank, Honda and the Chamber of Commerce in Tokyo and with groups from four to four hundred. Our talks on change, wellbeing, and happiness are legendary (ask about “Happy Hour is 9 to 5”).

“Employers who actively sustain a positive environment could experience up to 25% improvements in efficiency and customer satisfaction”
– Journal of Applied Psychology

To find out more about the benefits to you and your organisation have a look at the links above – make sure you check out our blog for the latest research. Alternatively give us a call. We’re always happy to help.

“In a group of people I hardly knew – all of a sudden we had bonded by laughing together. With Cris’ guidance we had cleared our heads and decreased our social and mental barriers. We were ready to tackle the problems over which we had gathered”
– Gillian H. Occupational Therapist

Clear your team’s head and build bonds – book a laughter session for your team today, Mention this code LYJan2014 for a discount (conditions apply).