Why is laughter one of the most important workplace skills?

As we all know, many jobs come with strict deadlines, meetings, and unexpected problems that need to be solved ASAP. Although having experience and good organization is fundamental when dealing with these issues, a good sense of humor is just as valuable. The ability to laugh at the chaos of a typical workday can make a difference between surviving the week and feeling defeated by it.

Anyone who has spent time at an office can confirm that strange things tend to happen. Maybe it’s a meeting that could have been an email, a project that changes directions multiple times a day, or a printer that stopped cooperating and tested everyone’s patience. In all of these cases, humor helps people to take a step back and remember that not every inconvenience has to be a disaster.

In my experience, work also tends to bring people together to share frustrations. No matter how different all the coworkers are, if some of them are more introverted while others are a laughingstock, work memes, jokes, and relatable stories remind employees that they are not alone when dealing with overflowing inboxes and endless to-do lists.  All of them understand the feeling of watching the clock on Friday afternoon and only wanting to get home and have the weekend start.

The internet has become one of the easiest places to find that share understanding. Because there will always be moments where we have to deal with busy weeks, complicated projects, and long afternoons. But, fortunately, there will also be a lot of opportunities to laugh along the way. A good joke may not shorten your week, but it can make the journey to the weekend more enjoyable.