No joke. If you show a sense of humour in the office, you strengthen teamwork and are more successful. We will explain to you why you can play the clown here and there, and when it’s time to stop being amusing.

Just kidding.

Many entrepreneurs are afraid that a humorous corporate culture will compromise professionalism. However, studies have shown the exact opposite is true. People with a sense of humour appear competent, self-confident and amiable. These qualities ultimately also spill over into the corporate culture and encourage internal teamwork.

A cheery outlook for employees.

So if you crack jokes now and then, it can have a very positive effect on the working atmosphere. Informal communication and team cohesion especially are strengthened and developed. Besides, humour relieves tension in everyday working life, which generally makes people happier and more content. Studies have also shown that cheerfulness inspires creativity and boosts productivity. If you can laugh at yourself, you have a clear advantage. Don’t take jokes and statements about yourself too seriously and just laugh along. This in turn earns you popularity points and proves that you have a sense of humour.

This could wipe the smile off your face.

As in most situations, when it comes to humour, you can have too much of a good thing. Have you tended to be a quiet colleague until now? In that case, you should definitely not mutate into an entertainer from one day to the next. If you start telling one joke after another out of nowhere, you may cause some bewilderment. Your colleagues know you and might be irritated by your sudden change of heart. Humour should always be in keeping with your own personality. Where appropriate, respond to other people’s comments with humour, or weave a funny incident into the conversation at the right moment. You should also be mindful of your colleagues’ personal limits. Irony or insulting remarks can quickly backfire.

In a nutshell: Just try to be relaxed. Humour is mostly a matter of intuition. A bit of fun has to be had, after all.