ARTICLES

Humour in the workplace is rarely discussed in leadership development. It tends to be treated as a personality trait — some people have it, some people do not — and therefore outside the scope of culture strategy. This is a mistake.

Workplace humour, when it is inclusive and genuinely shared, is one of the most powerful signals of psychological safety in a team. It indicates that people feel sufficiently comfortable with each other and within the environment to be playful — that the stakes are not so high, and the threat of judgment not so great, that every interaction doesn’t need to be managed carefully. Teams that laugh together tend to be teams that trust each other and that communicate more openly.

The distinction between humour that builds, and humour that damages is important. Inclusive humour, that finds ground in shared situations, in the work, in the absurdity of common experiences, creates connection. Exclusive humour that targets individuals, relies on hierarchy or punches down, creates the reverse. It narrows who feels included, reinforces informal power structures and signals, who belongs and who does not.

Leaders who can use humour well, who can bring genuine lightness to a difficult meeting or acknowledge the absurdity of a situation with warmth, build a particular kind of trust with their teams. It signals humanity, not just capability. And it creates a permission structure for the team to be human in return.

Culture is not only built in serious conversations. Some of it is built in laughter. That is worth taking seriously.

 

If you want practical support reviewing your workplace policies, contracts, leadership capability, or workplace culture, Blue Kite HR Consulting can help you take a proactive approach before issues become bigger problems.