Laughter is good for health and strengthens the immune system – this much is known. In today’s blog post, we’ll tell you why laughter also has a positive effect on work performance and can even be good for your career.
Laughing in the office – better than its reputation
Laughter often has a bad reputation in everyday office life, because many bosses are of the opinion that laughing employees don’t work and are therefore less productive. But the opposite is the case, because laughing in the office has a positive effect on work performance. For example, two Japanese studies have shown that humor and laughter have a positive effect on memory performance: those who laugh can then think better and thus remember facts more easily.
Even in stressful phases, laughter is good for work performance, because laughter has been proven to relieve tension. A strong laugh helps employees deal with stressful phases and then concentrate more relaxed on their tasks.
Laughter creates a positive working atmosphere
Laughter is also important for a positive working atmosphere. Because laughter connects. Those who can laugh together develop sympathy for one another. This creates positive bonds and a sense of community. that helps in the successful implementation of joint projects. Laughter is also a sign that employees feel comfortable in the office. This can also have an impact on creative brainstorming. The IFAK working climate barometer from 2008 found that employees who felt comfortable in the company were significantly more committed than their colleagues. Over a period of 12 months, they contributed an average of 17.5 ideas and suggestions for improvements in the company. With their unmotivated colleagues it was only 8.4.
Why smiling is good for your career
But laughing and a good mood are not only beneficial for everyday work. A smile is also a real career booster. Because: Whoever smiles looks more personable and thus establishes important relationships more quickly. Chris Robert, an Invisalign orthodontist in London found that smiling people are more popular, rise in reputation, get better ratings in goal setting interviews, and are often preferred for promotion, getting the better jobs with more income . So try to smile every now and then in the office.
Beware: women shouldn’t smile too much
But don’t overdo it either. This is especially true for women. Since women were responsible for a functioning social life and the cohesion of the group due to evolution, they are still expected to be friendlier and more pleasant to deal with than men. If women smile only a little, they are therefore more often criticized than their male colleagues.
Smiles may seem sympathetic and help to forge important relationships, but at the same time leadership is more likely to be associated with a proud and determined demeanor and the appropriate facial expression. Women should therefore make sure that they dose the smile correctly and turn it off every now and then. This is especially true in situations in which you want to demonstrate self-confidence, determination and leadership, for example when it comes to a salary negotiation or a higher position. Otherwise the laughter will quickly be interpreted as a gesture of submission. As a woman, you should therefore make sure to keep your head straight and concentrate on your face in these situations.
The smile has to be authentic
One last tip at the end. In order for the smile to have the positive effects described, it must above all be authentic. People have a fine antenna for whether a good mood is real or just being played. If the smile is only fake, facial expressions and body language send different signals that are more likely to arouse suspicion in the other person. So be kind, but don’t try to pretend cheerfulness. Then nothing stands in the way of your smile having a positive effect on your work performance and your career.