This document discusses how humor can be used to program humans and improve work environments. It provides over 30 reasons why humor is beneficial, such as improving communication, memory retention, problem-solving skills, and productivity. While humor gets people to listen better and builds trust, it also reduces stress and absenteeism while boosting happiness, brainpower, and physical health. The document advocates using humor in five ways - to improve communication, build relationships, enhance problem-solving, increase productivity, and strengthen leadership. It cites numerous studies and research supporting the positive impacts of humor at work.

1. Programming Humans Through Humor
andrew tarvin
@HumorThatWorks

8. 80% of Europeans are
concerned about stress at work.

9. ~50% of Europeans are
unsatisfied with their jobs.

10. 41% of Spaniards are unhappy.

11. Only 1 out of 7 Dwarfs are
Happy.

13. People who use humor are
more productive…

14. Less stressed…

15. And happier.

16. Why Humor?
1. Gets people to listen.
2. Increases long-term memory retention.
3. Improves understanding.
4. Aids in learning.
5. Helps communicate messages.

17. Why Humor?
1. Gets people to listen.
2. Increases long-term memory retention.
3. Improves understanding.
4. Aids in learning.
5. Helps communicate messages.
6. Improves group cohesiveness.
7. Reduces status differentials.
8. Diffuses conflict.
9. Builds trust.
10.Brings people closer together.

18. Why Humor?
1. Gets people to listen.
2. Increases long-term memory retention.
3. Improves understanding.
4. Aids in learning.
5. Helps communicate messages.
6. Improves group cohesiveness.
7. Reduces status differentials.
8. Diffuses conflict.
9. Builds trust.
10. Brings people closer together.
11. Boosts overall brainpower.
12. Increases objectivity.
13. Improves focus.
14. Triggers new connections.
15. Enhances problem-solving skills.

19. Why Humor?
1. Gets people to listen.
2. Increases long-term memory retention.
3. Improves understanding.
4. Aids in learning.
5. Helps communicate messages.
6. Improves group cohesiveness.
7. Reduces status differentials.
8. Diffuses conflict.
9. Builds trust.
10. Brings people closer together.
11. Boosts overall brainpower.
12. Increases objectivity.
13. Improves focus.
14. Triggers new connections.
15. Enhances problem-solving skills.
16. Reduces employee absenteeism.
17. Increases company loyalty.
18. Prevents long-term burnout.
19. Provides a boost of energy.
20. Improves productivity.

20. Why Humor?
1. Gets people to listen.
2. Increases long-term memory retention.
3. Improves understanding.
4. Aids in learning.
5. Helps communicate messages.
6. Improves group cohesiveness.
7. Reduces status differentials.
8. Diffuses conflict.
9. Builds trust.
10. Brings people closer together.
11. Boosts overall brainpower.
12. Increases objectivity.
13. Improves focus.
14. Triggers new connections.
15. Enhances problem-solving skills.
16. Reduces employee absenteeism.
17. Increases company loyalty.
18. Prevents long-term burnout.
19. Provides a boost of energy.
20. Improves productivity.
21. Lowers blood pressure.
22. Improves the immune system.
23. Reduces the risk of heart disease.
24. Burns calories.
25. Increases happiness.

21. Why Humor?
1. Gets people to listen.
2. Increases long-term memory retention.
3. Improves understanding.
4. Aids in learning.
5. Helps communicate messages.
6. Improves group cohesiveness.
7. Reduces status differentials.
8. Diffuses conflict.
9. Builds trust.
10. Brings people closer together.
11. Boosts overall brainpower.
12. Increases objectivity.
13. Improves focus.
14. Triggers new connections.
15. Enhances problem-solving skills.
16. Reduces employee absenteeism.
17. Increases company loyalty.
18. Prevents long-term burnout.
19. Provides a boost of energy.
20. Improves productivity.
21. Lowers blood pressure.
22. Improves the immune system.
23. Reduces the risk of heart disease.
24. Burns calories.
25. Increases happiness.
26. Increases perceived leadership skills.
27. Creates more opportunities.
28. Improves personal ratings.
29. Builds confidence in abilities.
30. Increases size of paycheck.

22. Why Humor?
1. Gets people to listen.
2. Increases long-term memory retention.
3. Improves understanding.
4. Aids in learning.
5. Helps communicate messages.
6. Improves group cohesiveness.
7. Reduces status differentials.
8. Diffuses conflict.
9. Builds trust.
10. Brings people closer together.
11. Boosts overall brainpower.
12. Increases objectivity.
13. Improves focus.
14. Triggers new connections.
15. Enhances problem-solving skills.
16. Reduces employee absenteeism.
17. Increases company loyalty.
18. Prevents long-term burnout.
19. Provides a boost of energy.
20. Improves productivity.
21. Lowers blood pressure.
22. Improves the immune system.
23. Reduces the risk of heart disease.
24. Burns calories.
25. Increases happiness.
26. Increases perceived leadership skills.
27. Creates more opportunities.
28. Improves personal ratings.
29. Builds confidence in abilities.
30. Increases size of paycheck.
All claims backed by
studies, research,
and case studies.

24. humor –
a comic, absurd, or incongruous quality
causing amusement.
– Random House Dictionary

27. http://xkcd.com/612/

31. Four Stages of Competence
1. Unconscious
Incompetence
(Inconsciente Incompetente)
2. Conscious
Incompetence
(Consciente Incompetente)
4. Unconscious
Competence
(Inconsciente Competente)
3. Conscious
Competence
(Consciente Competente)

36. To Improve Communication.

38. People
Don’t
Need to
See
Paula
Abdul

39. Physical
Data
Networking
Session
Program
Application

40. To Build Relationships.

41. What’s something that is true for you
that you don’t think is true for
anyone else in the room?

42. To Enhance Problem Solving.

43. To Increase Productivity.

47. To Strengthen Leadership.

53. Humor Recap
PROGRAMMING HUMANS
Humor: making work fun.
5 Functions of Humor:
1. To improve communication.
2. To build relationships.
3. To enhance problem solving.
4. To increase productivity.
5. To strengthen leadership.
Enjoying your work is a choice.

54. Photo Credits
3 Flickr / Slinky, Doll, Rubiks / Drew Tarvin
4 Flickr / Dictionary / Dave Worley
5 ProjectCartoon / How Projects Work / Anonymous
6 Reddit / Wrong Job? / HughMoore
7 Reddit / My local Tire Discounters does it right / thelacepirate
8 Reddit / Googly Money / Anon
12 Flickr / A Playful Desk / Drew Tarvin
13 Wikimedia / Reloj Depertador / Jorge Barrios
14 Flickr / Money / Nick Ares
15 Flickr / Electronic components / Tambako the Jaguar
16 Flickr / face down on aisle 4 / nanny snowflake
17 Flickr / Stressed? / AIM Neutron
18 Flickr / It’s Coming / Ryan Hyde
22 Flickr / caffeinating, calculating, computerating / Ryan Ritchie
23 Flickr / Hands in the air / Abe Novy
24 Flickr / A military working dog trains / Official US Navy Page
26 OSU / Ohio State University Map
27 Flickr / Money / Tax Credits
29 Flickr / At The Stand / Drew Tarvin
32 Flickr / Hammertime / Kurt Nordstrom
33 Flickr / O-H-I-O Family / Drew Tarvin
34 Flickr / Crazy hills of San Francisco / Hakan Dahlstrom
35 Flickr / Checklist / Stuart Chalmers
36 SXC / Hero / Ben Smith
37 Flickr / Abraham Lincoln Memorial 1 / Kevin Burkett
40 Wikimedia / Old Book Bindings / Tom Murphy VII
40 SXC / Archery / Kaliyoda
42 Flickr / Questioned Proposal / Ethan Lofton
43 Flickr / Everyone needs a getaway / Kenny Louie
44 SXC / Law Education Series 2 / Peter Skadberg

55. Sources
Humor, Analogy, and Metaphor: H.A.M. it up in Teaching by Randy Garner.
Radical Pedagogy, 2005
The Elements of Persuasion: Use Storytelling to Pitch Better, Sell Faster & Win
More Business by Richard Maxwell and Robert Dickman. (New York: Harper
Collins Publishers 2007).
Humor in the Workplace: A Communication Challenge. RA Vartabedian.Speech
Comm Assoc 11/1993
A Dash of Humor Ups Performance and Creativity at Work by R McMaster PhD.
Brain Based Biz, 2008
Positive affect facilitates creative problem solving by Alice M Isen, Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 1987, 52, 112-131
All Work and No Play Isn’t Even Good for Work by David Abramis. Psychology
Today, March, 1989, 34-38.
Humor in the Workplace: Anecdotal Evidence Suggests Connection to
Employee Performance by L Breeze. Perspectives in Business, St Edwards
University, 2004.
Ha! Laughing is Good for You! A Toffelmire. Canoe.ca, 04/2009.
Laughter is Good for Your Heart. B Crawford. University of Maryland Med Center.
04/2009.
Give Your Body a Boost with Laughter by R Morgan Griffin. WebMD, January
2013.
Getting Serious About Workplace Humor by Martha Craumer. Harvard Business
School. C0207D.
Making Sense of Humour in the Workplace by Steve Bannister. sbannister.com
Laughing All the Way to the Bank by Fabio Sala. Harvard Business Review.
F0309A.

58. I don’t think my boss or
coworkers would approve.

59. Source: Hodge-Cronin & Associates

60. Source: St Edwards University

61. I don’t know how.

62. Resources
htww.co/501w

63. andrew@humorthatworks.com
twitter
website
email

64. I don’t have time.

65. 168 hours.

66. 168 hours.
49 spent sleeping.

67. 168 hours.
49 spent sleeping.
119 hours awake.

68. 168 hours.
49 spent sleeping.
119 hours awake.
40 spent at work.

69. 168 hours.
49 spent sleeping.
119 hours awake.
40 spent at work.
33.6%

70. @humorthatworks