Have Laughing Lunches during your work lunch meeting.

LAUGHING LUNCHES
work meetings just got better

Laughter in the workplace can boost profits, reduce tension by Laura Laaman

A concerned manager recently asked me how he should handle tension between two employees. This manager had inadvertently come across a nasty e-mail sent from one employee to the other. Barb was ticked off because she felt Billy wasn't pulling his weight and she was left holding the proverbial bag.

What this manager really wanted was to stay out of it. He wanted his employees to work out their differences among themselves, but his better sense told him he probably should get involved.

I'm sure we all agree that managers need to maintain a safe, hostile-free work environment. In this case though, no rules had been broken. No one had crossed any lines, no name calling, certainly no violence. There was just an underlying tension.Great managers go way beyond insisting on a safe work environment. They work to create a positive, team-like and productive atmosphere.

Why? Because productivity and loyalty increase when employees feel they are part of a positive team. As important as good pay is, many employees have left a better-paying job for a job that pays less. What do they want then? Study after study shows a positive work environment rates as one of the top reasons that employees give 100 percent at work and why they stay.

But how do you go about creating a more positive work environment?

If your gut has told you that laughing helps make people feel better, you are correct.

A few interesting tidbits: Children laugh an average of 400 times per day, but the average adult older than 35 only laughs 15 times per day. Depressing huh?

One telling study by Drs. Lee Berk and Stanley Tan of Loma Linda University found that laughing lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones and increases muscle flexion. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, and produces a general sense of well-being.

What does this mean in the workplace? A study by Duane Smelser found that people who are lighthearted, having fun and in good spirits are more likely to be successful. Their positive feelings produce a positive menu for the brain of increased oxygen, endorphins and blood flow, which he and I both believe enables people to think more clearly and creatively.

"Taking" 15 minutes a day to work on laughing is not a loss of time; it's a productivity booster. Laughing helps people clear the cobwebs from the brain and helps the creativity juices flow. Great companies and leaders share these beliefs and leverage the positive power of laughing and healthy humor in their teams.

Ready to infuse fun in your workplace? Call us today. Let us create a custom show or workshop just for your office. Below are some photos and referrals.

Please contact our Left Brain to customize your Laughing Lunch - Matthew Panek 941-928-0964 or lazyfairyimprov@gmail.com We can't wait to make you laugh.

"You guys just killed it tonight!!!! No joke, you rocked the house. The laughter that came out of this place might have violated the noise ordinance... People are still talking about you guys. Are you up for a trip to Miami?" ~ AAF Suncoast September 2012

"You were the highlight of the party..."

"You all were so fabulous. Thanks for coming over. You were the highlight of Daniel's party." ~ Susie Marro (May 2011)

Just a note to say how much Encore totally loved Lazy Fairy's performance at our recent luncheon. Your ability to interact with the audience, and make us laugh by using material obtained on the spot is amazingly funny and entertaining. We especially loved the last act with the interview and it's translation for the hearing impaired, it is priceless! Thanks again to you and your team Christine Alexander, Catey Brannan and Joey Panek, it was great! Sincerely, Carol Kovilaritch & Kathy Rainey 1st Vice President/ program coorrdinator Encore, Inc (Sept 2012)

“Fantastic! Our guests are still a Buzz… Our event was a huge success and we owe it all to the amazing talent of the cast of the improv team. I would without hesitation recommend and rebook your cast.” ~ Lynn McDonald, Recipe for Happiness (2008, 2009 & 2010)