The document discusses how humor and fun can be used to motivate employees and improve workplace culture and performance. It provides information on the physical and mental health benefits of laughter, tips for incorporating humor in the workplace such as having a humor room or joke of the day, and how reducing stress through humor can boost employee retention. The key ideas are that humor enhances well-being, breaks up tension, and contributes to positive employee morale and retention.

1. MOTIVATION ON A
SHOESTRING
JON P. ZURFLUH
ECIS - April 2013

2. Introductions

3. Leadership
 Transactional
 Transformational

5. First – there’s humor…

6. A SMILE IS THE
SHORTEST DISTANCE
BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE
……VICTOR BORGE

7. LAUGHTER IS THE JEST MEDICINE
 Enhances respiration
 Enhances circulation
 Oxygenates the blood
 Suppresses stress related
hormones in the brain
 Activates the immune
system
Source: www.humorproject.com

8. DID YOU KNOW THAT….
 The average pre-schooler laughs or
smiles 400 times a day and that
number drops to 15 times a day by
age 35
 People smile only 35% as much as
they think they do
 Laughter releases endorphins a
chemical more powerful than
morphine
 Every time you laugh you burn 3.5
calories
Source: www.workplaceissues.com/arhumor.htm

9. NOT ALL HUMOR WORKS
 Sarcastic Humor
 Ethnic Humor
 Laughing at Others
Source:Making Humor Work, Terry L. Paulson, Ph.D.,1989

10. SIX REASONS THAT FUN CAN IMPROVE
WORK QUALITY AND MENTAL HEALTH
1. Breaks up boredom and fatigue
2. Fulfills human social needs
3. It increases creativity and
willingness to help
4. Fun fulfills the need for mastery
and control
5. Fun improves communication
6. Fun breaks up conflict and tension

11. HUMOR HOW TO‟S
 Put humor into the
physical environment
 Use humor as a tool
rather than as a
weapon
 Build humor into the
school culture
Source: www.humorproject.com

12. HUMOR
 DISCOVER YOUR
PASSION
 HAVE A GOOD
ATTITUDE
 SHOW PEOPLE
YOU CARE
Source: Fun is Good, TrainingABC Video,2004

13. DISCOVER YOUR PASSION
 PASSION STARTS IN YOUR
HEART
 WHAT EXCITES YOU?
 WHY ARE YOU HERE?
Source: Fun is Good, TrainingABC Video, 2004

14. ATTITUDE
 ATTITUDE IS 90% OF LIFE
 DON‟T TAKE YOURSELF TO SERIOUSLY
 LAUGHTER IS A STRENGTH IN THE
WORKPLACE

15. SHOW PEOPLE YOU CARE
 BE NICE
 WE‟RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
 LOOK FOR WAYS TO HELP AND SURPRISE
PEOPLE WITH KINDNESS
Source: Fun is Good, TrainingABC,Video, 2004

16. DID YOU KNOW
 According to the President‟s Science
Advisory report the cost of stress is
200 billion dollars annually.
Source: www.11u.edu/news/today/sept98/othnews.htm

17. STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE
Is one of the main causes of:
Illness
Absenteeism
Employee burnout
Source: www.homormatters.com/articles/workplac.htm

18. HUMOR REDUCES STRESS
 Because it makes us feel good
 At the moment we experience humor,
feelings like depression, anger and
anxiety dissolve.
Source: www.humormatters.com/articles/workplac.htm

19. THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PROMOTE
HUMOR IN THE WORKPLACE
 HUMOR ROOM  GIVE AN EMPLOYEE A
 JOY COMMITTEE CITATION FOR
SOMETHING FUNNY
 BASKET OF TOYS
THEY HAVE DONE
 JOKE OF THE DAY
 JOKE HOTLINE
 RECOGNITION
COMMITTEE
 BLOOPER LOG
 GREAT JOB CARDS
Source: www.howhappyareyouatwork.com/funnun_article.htm

20. THE BOTTOM LINE
Humor contributes to positive
morale which is a major factor
contributing to the retention of
valued employees
SOURCE: http://humanresources.about.com

21. THE BRAIN
“The Brain is a wonderful
organ. It starts the
moment you get up in
the morning and does
not stop until you get to
the office”!

22. Top 15 Retention Drivers
Retention Items %
1. Exciting work & challenge 48.4
2. Career Growth, Learning & Development 42.6
3. Working with great people & relationships 41.8
4. Fair pay 31.8
5. Supportive management/great boss 25.1
6. Being recognized, valued & respected 23.0
7. Benefits 22.0
8. Meaningful work, making a difference & contribution 17.0
9. Pride in organization, its mission & product 16.5
10. Great work environment / culture 16.0
11. Flexibility 13.6
12. Autonomy, creativity and a sense of control 12.6
13. Job security & stability 10.5
14. Location 10.3
15. Diverse, changing work assignments 7.7
Source: Career Systems International, 2005

23. Other Research
Retention Items
1. Career growth, learning and development
2. Exciting work and challenge
3. Meaningful work, making a difference and a contribution
4. Great people
5. Being part of a team
6. Good boss
7. Recognition for work well done
8. Fun on the job
9. Autonomy, sense of control over work
10. Flexibility – for example, in work hours and dress code
11. Fair pay and benefits
12. Inspiring leadership
13. Pride in organization, its mission and quality of product
14. Great work environment
15. Location
Source: Love „Em or Lose „Em, 1999

24. Calculating Employee Engagement
Scores from the following six questions are used to calculate
the engagement score:
I would, without hesitation, highly recommend this organization
to a friend seeking employment. Say
Given the opportunity, I tell others great things about working
here.
It would take a lot to get me to leave this organization.
I hardly ever think about leaving this organization to work Stay
somewhere else.
This organization inspires me to do my best work every day.
This organization motivates me to do more than is normally
required to complete my work. Strive

25. A social workplace considers
employee behavior
in order to create a truly
collaborative and
integrated
social experience

27. Example
The FISH! Philosophy
Catch the energy. Release the potential.

28. The FISH! Philosophy
Catch the energy. Release the potential.
• Play
• Make Their Day
• Be Present
• Choose Your Attitude

29. The FISH! Philosophy
Catch the energy. Release the potential.
Play!
• Work made fun gets done,
• Play is a state of mind that brings new energy to work.
• Play sparks creative solutions.
• Play unites the team.

30. The FISH! Philosophy
Catch the energy. Release the potential.
Make Their Day!
• When you make someone‟s day (or moment) through a
small act of kindness or unforgettable engagement, you can
turn even routine encounters into special memories.
• Lending a helping hand, giving a word of encouragement
and offering to listen suggest that you are sensitive to the
needs and feelings of others.

31. The FISH! Philosophy
Catch the energy. Release the potential.
Be Present!
• Being there is a great way to fight burnout and create focus
so that you do not keep juggling the things that wear you
out.
• Giving 110% to the task at hand demonstrates cooperation
among group members, shows enthusiasm and dedication
to the project and says that you care.

32. The FISH! Philosophy
Catch the energy. Release the potential.
Choose Your Attitude!
• When you look for the worst, you will find it everywhere.
• When you learn you have the power to choose your
response to what life brings, you can look for the best and
find incredible opportunities!
• If you find yourself with an attitude that is not what you
want, choose a new one!

33. The FISH! Philosophy
Catch the energy. Release the potential.
How will you …?
• Create a fun, playful work/study environment?
• Be someone who makes people‟s day?
• Be totally present?
• Choose the attitude you would like to have
everyday? Think about your team members and who you
are serving.

34. The FISH! Philosophy
Catch the energy. Release the potential.

35. One quick hint – get a good video guy…

36. An interesting tidbit…
http://www.morfoapp.com/