When John Simmons is stressed at work, maybe asked to complete a project with a ridiculous deadline, he looks for some comic relief.

And with a flick of a switch he has it: A nine-inch-long pig mounted on his office ceiling begins flying in circles, madly flapping its little wings.

Symbolic? You bet. But it's one of the best ways - and often the only thing he needs - to calm himself and return to the task at hand. The flying pig is one of many tips the Calgary-based workplace consultant serves up in his newly published book, The Power of Humor: Top Ten Ways to Lighten Up Your Workplace (without getting fired!).

Easy to read, succinct and light-hearted, the book sheds some serious light on the workplace - and why we should make an effort to inject some fun into our daily activity.

Mike Dempster, Business Edge
Humour makes the world and the workplace run better, says Alberta author John Simmons

Take toys. Simmons says that besides being good fun, toys take us back to a simpler time in our lives and rekindle positive memories.

"Because of the immediate function and the connotations they carry, toys can be almost magical in taking us away from a state of anxiety or stress." Unfortunately, we've somehow socialized some of that playfulness and laughter out of our lives, he says.

Research proves his point. One research study shows the average five-year-old laughs 20 times as often as the average adult. And science says adults are worse off for it.

Physically, laughter does many positive things: Relaxing muscle groups throughout the body; increasing oxygen intake; lowering blood pressure; improving circulation and stimulating our nervous system. At the same time, humour tickles a person's creative nature and helps us adapt to ever-changing conditions, two key requirements for success in today's workplace.

"Humour is not about goofing off," Simmons says, trying to correct a common misconception.

"It's about a sense of lightness. Even when you are busy, that sense of lightness kind of feeds you. You don't feel as much that the weight of the world is on your shoulders, or that it's life and death." In his Top 10 list of ways to lighten up the office, Simmons touches on a variety of subjects - everything from dark humour, fun notes and memos, pin-up humour, and how to tell jokes.

No. 1 on his list is celebration - a basic human need to stop and take stock of what we have accomplished, and to feel good about it.

Today's modern work world is so intense, the pace so intense for so many people, that we finish one thing and then say, "What's next?" That's why Simmons applauds companies that do things such as ringing the bell when an employee makes a sale; or offices that ensure each and every birthday is acknowledged.

If there's one simple way to celebrate and help change a company's culture, it's to have someone bring in a cake on a birthday.

Do it in the afternoon, when people are sagging a bit anyway, he suggests, because the celebration creates both an energy boost and a laugh.

Simmons believes that today's educated workforce has an expectation that they need to be valued and recognized. However, he's not sure that all employers are on the same page.

In fact, though he says it's a small minority, he has consulted with employees who have been reprimanded by a manager for laughing at their desks, told to stop and get back to work.

Employees will quit in such cultures, he says. Or if they stick it out, they may suffer from stress, poorer personal relationships, absenteeism and lower productivity.

On the other hand, companies that allow people to celebrate, tell a joke and pin up funny cartoons tend to encourage dedication, loyalty and productivity because they are treated like people and not commodities.

"Posting visual things in areas where customers come in and meet you is also good for getting clients involved," he says.

"They will say, 'Hey this is a neat place.' " Simmons notes that humour isn't a panacea for all workplace ills. It's not the engine of enterprise.

But it is the oil that makes things run with less friction. Or, using a rural analogy, Simmons calls it the fertilizer that ensures a good crop.

"Humour is like manure," he concludes. "It works best when you spread it around."

CREATING THE RIGHT ATMOSPHERE

Telling a joke is one of the Top 10 ways to lighten up an office because jokes accomplish two things, says John Simmons. They create an anticipatory state that finds us smiling and eagerly awaiting the story. And at the end, they create a hearty laugh or chuckle, or even a groan.

In the spirit of trying to lighten your business day, here's one of his favourites: * As a man sat down in a theatre, he was startled to notice a woman and dog sitting in front of him. As the movie progressed, he couldn't help notice that the dog was enjoying itself immensely. It yelped at the funny parts and lapped up popcorn from its mistress's container. The man was so fascinated by the dog's behaviour, he took in very little of the movie.

When the movie ended, the man leaned over to the dog's owner and said, Pardon me miss, but I'm amazed at the behaviour of your dog!

She replied, So am I. He hated the book.

Web watch:
www.john-simmons.com

(Mike Dempster can be reached at miked@businessedge.ca)