To all the young people out there...STAY IN SCHOOL! Jerry Aragon/The Humor Doctor humordoctormd@yahoo.com |
My articles published 100+ websites |
Humor in the work place (Case Study) Some people come to work, with the same level of enthusiasm that they'd have for being attacked by a pack of hungry jackals. Putting humor, fun and play to work in your job is a way of injecting excitement and enthusiasm into the workplace. It is but one major aspect of creating a "nice place to work." But, the results are more than altruistic. There's ample evidence that humor at work pays off for the employed in dollars and cents. Franklin Research and Development took a look at those companies listed in Robert Levering's book The Best 100 Companies to Work for in America. They analyzed the seventy companies that were public and found that they were twice as profitable as the average Standart & Poor 500 company and that their stock prices grew at three times the average rate. Clearly, a pleasant workplace is related to corporate success. What used to be seen by many as Polyannaism, is now being accepted and implemented in many forms, not the least of which is injecting liberal doses of fun into the work environment. It's all part of a caring, sharing atmosphere full of mutual respect...the same thing you'll find by peeking into the make-up of championship sports teams. Companies are coming up with numerous ways to make the work environment pleasant one and, through that pleasant environment, communicate that they really care about their employees; Dress down day, also known by by such sobriquers as "grub day" "jean day" and "casual Friday" these days are thought to have had their origin at Hewlett-Packard when Friday was the day products were shipped. When they had backlog of goods to go out, all workers would come to work dressed casually so they could help with the shipping. The practice spread when HP employees were hired by other Silicone Valley companies. Today, relaxed dress codes are legendary among hig-tech firms in that area. Also common...there are Friday beer busts. Companies regularly sponsor them so that their employees can come together in a relaxed atmosphere to discuss discoveries and achievements of the week. Through this productive party. Management is saying: "We care about you." According to its proponents, a beer bust has such ancellary effects as promoting informatlity among people, which has equallizing effect. This practice is not confined to high-tech or even manufacturing operations. Even normally stodgy attorneys have gotten in on the act. The Menlo Park (California) firm of Coddington, Hicks & Danforth has adopted the practice. They also have an ice cream break at 3 o clock in the afternoon. Besides such things as "dress down day" companies are finding other ways to creat positive work places; free day care; two dollar haircuts (at company barber shops) and other such amenities all add festivity and a sense of caring to the workplace. One company sponsors and annual "Teddy Day" during which an award is given to the employee who has helped others the most. G.E. put score boards conspicuously around the plant during the World Series as one subtle but effective way of saying "we care" Some other events used by different companies silly hat contests; weird shoe competition; and joke telling contests. National Computer Systems of Minneapolis hired an "Elation Strategist" to "lighten up the joint." The idea; to help people relieve stress and to assist supervisors in becoming better communicators and managers. Other companies have made similar efforts to lighten up their work forces by creating a "Lite Brigade" to come up with ideas for injecting humor fun and play. Many firms have made their break rooms into "humor rooms" or installed a kiosk to encourage employees to post cartoons and other funny items. Companies such as Manville Corp., Safeway Stores and Northwestern Bell Telephone have intituted a number of humor programs to help employees unwind. The message is clear: drill-sargent management is on the way out. Participative management is alive and well and thriving. This can be seen clearly in examining such companies as General Electric. Their most recent annual report states it quite precisly in a message from John Welsh, Chairman of the Board and CEO. "We want employees to go home from work wanting to talk about what they did that day, rather than trying to forget about it. We want factories where the whistle blows and someone suddenly wonders aloud why we need a whistle. We want a company where people find a better way, every day, of doing things, and where by shaping their own work experience they make their lives better and our Company best." The report adds: "Far-fetched" Fuzzy? Soft? Naive? Not a bit. This is the type of liberated, involved, excited, boundary-less culture that is present in successful start-up enterprises. Is is unheard of in an institution our size, but we want it and we are determined we will have it." A friendly workplace is not a passing trend. It is part and parcel of the "information age." in which we find ourselves. And, since the "people approach" )sometimes called ("warm-wear) is based on human nature, we can expect to see it around for a long time. Yes, there's ample evidence that the punch line can affect the bottom line. |
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My articles published 100+ websites |
To all the young people out there...STAY IN SCHOOL! Jerry Aragon/The Humor Doctor humordoctormd@yahoo.com |
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