Is Fun at Work an Oxymoron?

For most, no less than 40 hours each week are spent on the job. A person’s attitude most often means the difference between a promotion and stagnation. How can you keep your attitude positive and your mind fresh? Focus on being a proactive, team player in order to develop the needed synergies and level the playing field for you, your boss, and the customers your organization serves? Laughter, of course, is the right answer, but you need to do it with class. Know when your humor will be most appreciated and how to apply it to the best audience.

The atmosphere in today’s business world is open and inviting fun while maintaining strong guidelines on productivity. Largely gone from the halls of most employers are the starched shirt, suit and formal wear of the past. Open collars and even open toes are much more common than ever before. Use this level of informality to your advantage as you go through your day and you’ll find that you enjoy being at work more than ever before. There are limits, and of course a time and a place for everything. Consult your employee handbook if there’s any question whether a line you’re considering as optional to cross is really a form of insubordination or unwelcome harassment. Better yet, schedule an appointment with your human resources director. Bring a copy of the manual in Braille and admit there are parts you don’t quite understand and would appreciate some guidance in interpreting.

Unlike a lot of performers today, I prefer to keep my material fun for the whole family. I strive on going to the edge, but never going over. I enjoy pushing people’s limits of laughter. Having a good time doesn’t have to mean being vulgar, and in fact, I like to think that it’s a sign of real talent to be able to avoid the easy shots. This is how I spend my time, and I want to be comfortable doing it no matter where I happen to be. Whether I’m at a comedy club, on a University campus, in Las Vegas or at a company event, I tailor my act for my audience, but it’s still a show that anyone can see and appreciate. This is important to note, because when you go out there on your own and start pushing your own limits, you’re going to have to know where to stop before crossing the line.